Most students look forward to stuffing or sweet potato side dishes for Thanksgiving, but Samhitha Kasim longs for biryani. 

“Biryani is a mix of different cardamom and spices, with a sweet-sour taste that makes it a very spicy dish,” said Kasim, a graduate student in Computer Science.

“Biryani comes from the Persian word ‘birian’ which means fried before cooking,” she said. “[The] South Asian mixed rice dish has its origins among the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent.”

It is common to add veggies and chicken to the dish. 

Kasim said her hometown of Hyderabad, the largest city in the Southern Indian state of Telangana, is famous for biryani. Typically, the dish can feed 10 or more people and is often served at family gatherings, festivals, and parties. 

Her partner Sahad Christianer, who is also a graduate student in Computer Science, looks forward to the dish.

“It is healthy and it feels good to have a meal that tastes as good as paradise,” he said. “Biryani is the most flavorful rice I’ve ever eaten, with waves of taste that make your taste buds stand up and smile in delight.”

“The taste of biryani brings people together for special occasions and yet when Americans have that experience, they will remember the moment and flavorful spice it has,” said Christianer.

A secret to good biryani is the aged basmati rice, a fragrant Indian rice that has been matured for 12 to 18 months. 

Both students may love biryani, but they have also developed a taste for American foods. Kasim enjoys spaghetti. Christianer loves burgers and fries. They feel it is OK to mix and match foods from around the globe.

“Different unique foods like biryani … can really bring people together at any time of year,” Kasim said.