The history of the beloved rice dish known as biryani is a subject of debate among scholars. Some believe it originated in Northern India, influenced by the Mughals, while others argue it was developed in the south as a variation of a pilaf introduced by Arab traders. Despite the uncertainty surrounding its origins, we do have some insight into the word itself. The term “biryani” first appeared in a cookbook in 1932 and was directly borrowed from Hindi. There are two prevailing theories regarding its etymology. One suggests that it is derived from the Persian word biryan, meaning “fried” or “roasted” (as per the Oxford English Dictionary), while the other posits that it comes from birinj, the Persian word for “rice”. Regardless of its specific roots, it is clear that the term has Indo-European origins. The usage of the word biryani gained popularity in the United States during the 1980s, as evidenced by Google NGram Viewer data. Additionally, Google Trends shows a continued increase in search frequency for this delectable dish.
