بریانی، حلیم اور پائے : مختصر تاریخ
In the olden days when the armies marched long stretches, they were to be fed in the most befittingly nutritious manner. Hence they carried with them herds of sheep, goats, rations of rice and wheat. The meat was then cooked with rice or wheat, what was cooked with rice came to be known as BIRYANI (بریانی = biryaani) and with wheat as HALEEM (حلیم = Haleem). The remnants of the lamb such as trotters, organs etc was cooked overnight and served the next morning came to be known as NAHARI/PAYA (نہاری/ پائے = nahaari/paa'ey).
The Nizam (نظام = nizaam) and other members of the royal family, such as Salar Jung (سالار جنگ = saalaar jang), Viqar-ul-Umrah (وقارالامراء = wiqaarul umraa) with unwavered dedication from the Royal cooks of the erstwhile Nizam perfected this most ordinary cooking by using expensive, special and aromatic ingredients to produce food of the highest quality of taste and nutrition, creating a perfect balance of proteins, carbohydrates etc.
The extent of care taken is evident from the fact that even the metal that is used in the cooking vessels, was predominantly copper, which helps in slow cooking, while retaining the original flavors of meats etc.
Hyderabad House (حیدرآباد ہاؤس = Haidar-aabaad house), established in 1975 by its founder Late Mir Baber Ali (میر بابر علی - مرحوم = meer baabar Ali - marhoom), continues this legacy with equal finesse, which has made it a household name among one and all in Hyderabad. It intends to promote this unique cuisine not only in the city but also to all parts of the country and abroad.