Hyderabad Mughal Biriyani

Down here on Perambur High Road, things never really stay quiet for long. Our shop is at number 104, very close to the Perambur Bus Depot. You can hear the buses pulling in and out all day, and the horns are just part of the background noise for us now. We focus on biryani, which means the big handis are always on the fire. It takes a lot of time to get the coal and the heat just right, and there aren’t really any shortcuts for that kind of cooking. The staff here in Chennai knows the drill—get in early, clean the meat, soak the rice, and start the slow cooking process. We don't have fancy decorations or anything like that. The walls are simple, and the furniture is just there for people to sit and eat. Most of our day is spent dealing with the heat, both from the Chennai sun and the kitchen fires. When the lunch crowd from the depot and the nearby offices starts coming in, it gets pretty hectic. We try to keep up with the demand, but sometimes the line gets a bit long and people have to wait. It’s an honest living, and we’ve been at this address for a while now. People know where to find us when they want something heavy and filling. We just keep our heads down and keep the stoves going every day. It is hard work but it pays the bills.