Biryani, arguably Tamil Nadu’s favourite food, and one that usually wins any popularity contest hands down when it comes to mass catering for political gatherings in the State, has yet to find many takers in Tiruchi this year.
With Lok Sabha election campaigning off to a slow start in the Tiruchi constituency, the bustle of public meetings is missing in many places. “Usually, political parties organise huge gatherings and provide biryani parcels for the crowds. This year, it is all very low-key. We have yet to receive a significant order from local representatives of political parties,” N.M. Abdul Rahman, proprietor of N.M.R. Rahman Biryani catering service, told The Hindu.
Mr. Rahman, who is a specialist in the ‘pasavu’ style of biryani native to Tiruchi region, said that political meetings usually attract orders for chicken biryani, because it is cheaper than mutton. “We undertake orders for up to 300 kilos of biryani, which is served along with egg, ‘dalcha’ (lentil and mutton gravy), and onion-yoghurt chutney. The clients usually ask us to take care of the packing as well. On a busy day, we pack over 1,000 biryani meal parcels,” he said.
The days of making 100 ‘padi’ measures (1 padi is approximately equal to 1.5 kilograms) of biryani orders however, are over stopped for many local restaurants as many candidates have cut down on their public appearances this year. “Direct orders to local eateries to feed party workers or people attending meetings have been replaced by mass catered meal packs, because it is more affordable. Cooking a ‘padi’ of biryani costs approximately ₹2,700 at today’s prices, so a large order can run into lakhs or rupees,” said a representative of Buhari Restaurant in Tiruchi.
Clients are also asking caterers to avoid branding their biryani parcels with political stickers or commercial messages. “Post-pandemic, there is a greater stress on cleanliness. We have been asked to pack the side dishes in separate disposable containers, because the food should be hygienic when distributed. We are expecting the big orders to start closer to voting day, when people gather near the electoral booths, and parties tend to hand out biryani parcels in large numbers,” said Mr. Rahman.
