Cricket and biryani go hand in hand, like baseball and hot dogs

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The highly anticipated cricket match between Pakistan and India in the Cricket World Cup is a monumental event. These two nations, known to be bitter rivals, rarely face off on the cricket field. However, one thing unites their fans – a mutual love for biryani, a flavorful rice dish that is a popular choice among attendees at cricket matches. The Indian subcontinent boasts various versions of biryani, each with distinct preparation methods. Desi restaurants in the vicinity of the World Cup stadium in East Meadow, N.Y., are accustomed to offering a variety of biryani styles.

The three closest biryani establishments to the stadium in Eisenhower Park provide halal meat options, limited beef selections, and an array of vegetarian dishes. Despite the diverse menu, biryani remains the crowd favorite at all three venues.

Biryani has become synonymous with cricket, partly due to the game’s extended duration. Traditional games can span five days, requiring fans to consume multiple meals throughout the day. Intervals in the gameplay coincide with meal breaks, making biryani a convenient and satisfying choice for spectators. Although the World Cup matches are shorter in duration, the essence of enjoying biryani during cricket remains the same. During the pauses in gameplay, fans can savor spoonfuls of meat, rice, yogurt, and various condiments.

Across the Indian subcontinent, there are over 35 variations of biryani, each region offering its own unique flavors. Similar to cricket, the Indo-Pak rivalry extends to the realm of biryani preferences. In India, vegetarian biryani is popular, alongside chicken and mutton options, while beef is avoided by many Hindus. Conversely, Pakistan predominantly favors meat biryani, steering clear of pork due to religious restrictions in Islam.

Sahar’s Kitchen and Chai — Karachi style

In East Meadow, diners at desi restaurants come from diverse religious backgrounds. At Sahar’s Kitchen and Chai, owned by Mohammed Rehman from a Bangladeshi heritage, a Karachi-style biryani is served with the refreshing accompaniment of raita, a yogurt sauce – embodying quintessential Pakistani flavors!

Rehman, an avid cricket enthusiast, enjoys pairing his biryani with the game. Describing various biryanis from the subcontinent, Rehman highlights the distinctions between Pakistani, Indian, and Bangladeshi varieties. According to him, Pakistani biryani tends to be drier with more sauce on top, Indian biryani is spicier, while Bangladeshi biryani leans towards a curry flavor profile.

The Royale — biryani diversity

At the Royale Restaurant & Bar, a diverse selection of biryani and meat dishes are served alongside alcoholic beverages, catering to a wide range of customers including Muslims and Hindus with vegetarian preferences. Owner Amrinder Singh embraces and celebrates Indian diversity, ensuring that the menu is inclusive and respectful of different religious and cultural backgrounds. Despite cooking all dishes in the same kitchen, the restaurant is accommodating and willing to customize recipes as per diners’ dietary requirements.

The menu at Royale reflects the subcontinental diversity, featuring options like prawn biryani and cheese biryani. It is renowned for serving authentic Indian biryani from Hyderabad, making it a popular choice among biryani enthusiasts.

Spice and Curry — a cherished establishment for all

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            Naveed Haroon, co-owner of Spice & Curry Kabab & Grill, showcasing the restaurant's chicken biryani, in East Meadow on June 3.
            <b class="credit" aria-label="Image credit"><i>Marco Postigo Storel for NPR</i>

The East Meadow biryani trail ends at Spice & Curry Kabab & Grill, the oldest desi restaurant in the area. Despite being labeled as a Pakistani restaurant, Spice & Curry does not offer beef biryani as a regular menu item. Owner Naveed Haroon mentioned, “Beef biryani is not very common. We make it on special orders. We also customize vegetarian options, including the chana [chickpea] biryani.”

Customers from both India and Pakistan gather at Royale and Spice & Curry to enjoy biryani-filled cricket screenings. Despite the banter between fans from both countries, there is no hint of hostility. Haroon remarked, “It’s all politics. In Nassau County, there’s a significant population of Indians and Pakistanis. And they get along.”

Royale owner Amrinder Singh shared a similar sentiment, recounting the camaraderie with his former roommate from Pakistan in Virginia. Singh and Haroon expressed their belief that the U.S. co-hosting the Cricket World Cup will boost the sport’s popularity in the country and introduce biryani to a wider audience. They are prepared to accommodate a diverse customer base, as demonstrated in Spice & Curry’s kitchen where the chef showcases the preparation of their biryani dishes.

The cooking process involves heating oil in a large pot, adding dried onions, tomato puree, spices like red chili powder, turmeric powder, and zeera coriander, and then adding basmati rice. Meat or vegetables are incorporated separately to create various biryani variations.

Customers at the Royale share a love for both cricket and biryani, transcending team rivalries. Singh stated, “The food is going to unite the love. No matter what kind of rivalry they have on the field, when they’ll be back, they’ll enjoy the food.”

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