Odisha’s Puri, one of the four revered Dhams of Hinduism is the birthplace of over 50 exotic Khichdi styles. Although most of them are exclusively vegetarian, since generations inhabitants of Puri have experimented with use of fish and prawn in Khichdi.

Our good old Indian gastronomic tradition of ‘Khichdi’ can be termed Biryani’s long lost ancestor. Khichdi is also an easy to cook nutritious single dish meal, but mostly vegetarian. Odisha is the land of evolution of an array of Khichdi varieties. Odisha’s Puri, one of the four revered Dhams of Hinduism is the birthplace of over 50 exotic Khichdi styles. Although most of them are exclusively vegetarian, since generations inhabitants of Puri have experimented with use of fish and prawn in Khichdi.

We have been able to develop an inimitable tasty bond between traditional exotic ingredients and cooking process of Odia Khichdi with the classical culinary procedure of Biryani. Outcome is the Scrumptious cauldron of ecstatic gastronomic bliss that waits to welcome you. Be proud to relish our Scrumptious culinary innovation to enliven the ever innovative Indian culinary heritage.

Love for tasty and hygienic food throbs in the genetic code of Odias. Lively anecdotes and stories related to food dot the life of every Odia. As a proud Odia, I also have an interesting story to tell. It is a story to savour, as it is the tale of Scrumptious Biryani.

During my student years my friends searched for excuses to visit my home as frequently as possible. Instead of me, my mother’s culinary skill was their main attraction. Within no time she used to cater us plethora of Odia and Chinese delicacies along with varieties of Biryani as well.

Concerned about our health, she cooked with minimal oil and spices. But she never compromised on taste. Under her able guidance I picked up skills and techniques of cookery from adolescence. I became an asset during the parties of our friends’ group as my cooking skills could churn out a list of delicacies.

After graduation Chennai became the destination of my culinary explorations. I was there to fulfil my career dream to become a Chartered Accountant (CA). Yet in no time rudder of my foodie palate searched out destinations of delicacies in Chennai.

I tasted diversity of Biryani during my audit trips to different parts of the country as part of my training stint. Biryani evolved in different places with diverse uniqueness in taste. Hyderabad Biryani, Vellore Biryani, Ambur Biryani, Lucknow Biryani, Kolkata Biryani taste quite different from each other.

My gastronomic searches continued even when I became a CA and returned back to start professional practice in Odisha. During my continuing culinary explorations, I stumbled upon the cooking process of ‘Raw Meat Dum Biryani’. For several Sundays our kitchen became the laboratory for my experiments with this ‘Raw Mutton Dum Biryani’. My better half was always by my side as an able assistant and guide. I was not deterred by initial disasters. It made me extra-stubborn to search out the coveted salivating result. By my fourth attempt I succeeded to eradicate all loopholes and the experimental Biryani was fit to be savoured.

Experiments continued to improvise and innovate. Several more ingredients and spices were tried out to add to the taste, while all attempts were made to bring oil use to the minimum. More than 40 experiments in the kitchen, I could standardise a formula that made my Biryani completely unique in taste.

Acceptance of its taste was tested during the parties organised at our home. A friend of mine from Hyderabad during his visit to our home had a chance to relish my improvised Biryani. He remarked that it was better than every brand of Hyderabadi Biryani he had tasted. Although cooking was just a hobby for me, he pressed upon me to market this new Biryani recipe for the general public in big way.

After much brain storming I could convince myself that my reinvented recipe was heavens apart from the tastes of Biryanis dished out in market. My market research was hinting that Biryani’s fan following was already high and it was also on an ascending track.

Biryani is loved by all as a wholesome food. Yet the way it was being sold at restaurants or Biryani outlets was never user friendly for food connoisseurs.

Biryani is served out on plates in restaurants while for take away, aluminium foil packs or containers of aluminium and plastic were used. Health conscious foodies surely had apprehension about this type of packaging.

Even if it got delivered at doorsteps, unpacking it for reheating, arranging plates, spoons, forks and bowls to consume it along with raita is not that simple. I pondered over this for long to design a hygienic packaging that could ease the stumbling blocks between take home Biryani packages and the palate.

Use of non-organic materials like plastic was totally ruled out. Our new-age Biryani had to be bio-degradable to cater to the concern of environment conscious foodies of present times. A search of over three years resulted in discovery of perfect bio-degradable packaging. It took another six months to make this innovative package practically viable and business friendly.

Although taste has no name and it can only be savoured, yet we preferred to name it SCRUMPTIOUS BIRYANI.