Bangalore Famous Donne Biryani
Bangalore Famous Donne Biryani – Shivaji Military Hotel | Dhonnai Mutton Biriyani
Bangalore Famous Donne Biryani, at Shivaji Military Hotel in Banshankari, Bangalore, India is the most popular dish in the city. This biryani recipe is said to be a specialty from the Marathas.
These donne biriyanis are served piping hot in large dry palm leaf cups called “Donne” in Kannada. Hence, it gets the name “Donne Biryani”.
What is Donne Briyani?
The biryani is made of Seeraga-samba rice, a special variety of South Indian Rice used especially for Biriyani Recipes. This rice variety also has a lot of benefits and enhances the taste of the dish.
The meat (chicken or mutton) pieces are marinated in a green paste. This green paste is made of coriander and pudina leaves ground to a smooth paste. And is cooked along with whole spices like cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, cloves, bay leaf, stone flower, maze, nutmeg etc.
This biryani is almost sold by many vendors in the Bangalore city. But, “Shivaji Military Hotel” is said to serves the best dhonnai biryani in the town, which is a decade old now. In my experience, this is one MUST VISIT place for all the biriyani lovers.
Video Link: Donne Mutton Biryani – Shivaji Military Hotel
Two Types of Donne Biryani Recipe:
- Mutton Donne Briyani and
- Chicken Donne Briyani
Out of these two varieties, Mutton Donne Biriyani is said to be most popular.
How is Donne Biryani prepared?
As mentioned above, it’s made of seeraga samba rice, the green marination and freshly ground whole spices. This truly enhances the flavours of the briyani and gives us complete satisfaction.
The mutton pieces/chunks were so tender and softly cooked to the right consistency. Also, the rice wasn’t sticky though.
Traditional Way of Cooking:
Traditionally, it is cooked in large aluminium or copper vessels using charcoal stoves (kari adippu in tamil) and served hot in dry palm leaf cups. The hot food while served in these donne’s, absorb or infuse the flavors in the dry palm leaf cups which is also one of the reasons for it’s unique taste.
These Donne’s are sometimes made up of dry papaya leaves, dry banana leaves, dry lotus leaves too.
Also check my other biriyani recipe cooked using seeraga samba (jeera rice) rice – Dindigul Thalapakatti Mutton Briyani
Other famous dishes:
They also serve other dishes like – chicken donne briyani, chicken masala fry, pepper chicken, mutton soup, chicken leg masala etc.
Out of these we also tried another famous dish called “Chicken Masala Fry”.
Chicken Masala Fry was absolutely spicy and delicious. It is slow cooked in freshly ground masala.
The chicken pieces were so tender and juicy until the last bite. The only disappointment was it was a bit oily. But, taste wise it was great.
It was slightly semi-gravy and tastes absolutely divine when eaten in combination with the donne biriyani.
When served with cucumber raita and chicken gravy, it was just a perfect meal.
This hotel opens at 8 in the morning and closes at 3 in the afternoon. There’s a very limited space, as it’s just one hall. People sit to eat in batches, and finish in batches. After one batch, it’s the turn of the other. Even though the place is crowded all the time, it is worth the wait. Hence, it is advisable to go as early as possible to find a place for yourself.
I have never tasted such awesome biriyani anywhere in my life so far. Shivaji Military Hotel is the best in my experience.
I feel so happy to have tasted their signature dishes – Donne Biryani & Chicken Masala Fry.
If you happen to visit Bangalore or If you are in Bangalore and missed it or haven’t tried it yet, then please make a visit to this place and try out these delicacies. It is one of a kind of biriyani variety that isn’t available elsewhere.