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.
