KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 – We all know of biryani made with basmati rice but how about those made with seeraga samba rice? Not many places in the Klang Valley offer this type of biryani and this cafe that sells homemade burgers is offering this unusual variety for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
They started selling this type of biryani back in April this year. The seeraga samba rice is highly sought after by many in Tamil Nadu.
The seeraga name refers to its resemblance to tiny cumin seeds or seeragam in Tamil. For the samba name, this refers to the season this type of rice is grown, which is usually from August to January.
As the grain has a higher ability to absorb more liquid, the tiny grains don't clump together after it is cooked. It's also less fluffy compared to basmati rice and has a slight al dente bite to the grains. When cooked with the masala and spices, the grains have a more subtle flavour.
Not only is the grain sought after for its flavour but it's also packed with lots of good-for-you benefits. In an article published by The New Indian Express, a clinical nutritionist claims the rice is high in selenium and rich in fibre.
This apparently helps prevent cancer in the colon and intestines. The oil in the rice is also believed to reduce low density lipoprotein cholesterol.
The grain also has powerful antioxidants that can apparently protect you from heart disease and it has phytonutrients that can help fight breast cancer. Or so it is claimed.
At the cafe, they offer six types of biryani cooked with the tiny grains that are a third in size compared to basmati. You have the usual chicken, mutton and vegetarian biryani (RM15.90). There's also a prawn and squid (RM21.90) version. If you're feeling super indulgent, they offer udang galah (two sizes) from RM35 onwards, and a Norwegian salmon biryani for RM50.
You can order the biryani two ways. If you're within the delivery area, it's on the Grab Food app. Do take note you have to be pretty near the cafe though for that option to work as during peak times, the app reduces the delivery area coverage.
When I checked in the evening, it was within my coverage area but for lunch time, it was marked out of my delivery zone.
A safer bet to get the biryani delivered to you is pre-booking it ahead via WhatsApp. You can book your meal and pay for it via bank transfer. They will arrange for a third party delivery rider to send it to you and you pay the charges directly to the rider. They start sending out the food from 12.30pm onwards.
I ordered the chicken biryani (RM16.90) to try it out. Each biryani order is served with a brinjal raita, mango chutney, pappadums and vegetable kurma. They also give you a banana leaf to recreate the whole biryani experience at home. You also get a free drink. In my case it was a 250 millilitre bottle of drinking water.
When you tip over the rice from the box onto the banana leaf, you will notice that the grains are tiny. They may look clumped together but it easily separates out when you use a fork.
The fragrance is more subtle and each grain is covered with the masala and vegetables. I was given a pretty substantial sized chicken drumstick.
What I liked about the chicken was that it wasn't the typical market variety with softer, mushier flesh but the firmer flesh type that resembled our kampung chicken. You also get a whole hard boiled egg for additional protein.
If you taste the rice on its own, it has a very light flavour but the grains are nice and fluffy. For a more stronger flavour, add the vegetable kurma that has diced long bean, potatoes and carrots on the rice.
I also liked the accompaniments like the creamy raita and the tangy mango chutney. And of course, crush the pappadums and mix it with the biryani for a nice contrast of crunchy and fluffy for each bite of your lunch.
I also tried out the mutton biryani (RM19.90) and this variety I felt was packed with more flavour. The meat came in chunks and each one was tender.
Just mix up the meat with the rice and you will be incredibly satisfied with its tastiness. I would definitely order this version again.
Baby Burger Cafe, 11, Persiaran Syed Putra 3, Taman Persiaran Desa, KL. Tel:03-23891313. For pre-orders, you can WhatsApp 014-3379789. Facebook: @babyburgercafe Instagram: @/babyburgercafe
