Hazi Nanna Biriyani — Restaurant in Dhaka Metropolitan

Haji Nanna Biryani is a brand that took off to unprecedented success from very modest beginnings relying on one food item equally loved by all Bangali people: ‘biryani’

In 1962, amid the tension surrounding the education movement, a typical middle-class man got down from a rickshaw to buy monthly groceries in the bustling Moulvibazar marketplace, situated next to the former Central Jail in Dhaka.

Although done out of necessity, grocery shopping in kitchen markets is a rather toilsome affair, enough to leave a grocery shopper hungry and weary. Halfway through, our grocery shopper unexpectedly got distracted by a beautiful aroma in the crowded place. The shopper recognised the smell.

Upon close inspection, he soon found out the source. It was rather a small and shabby shop serving chicken biryani named Nanna Miyah, after the shop's cook.

Unable to resist, he went in and placed an order. As he gobbled down a plate full of the delicious Morog Polao, their signature dish, one wonders if he could foresee Haji Nanna Biryani's rise to prominence over the next 60 years?

We cannot say for sure. After all, the shopper's tale is a story concocted by the authors. But this is probably what it looked like back in 1962 when Haji Nanna Biryani first began to rise to prominence.

Haji Nanna Biryani now operates in seven branches at Becharam Deuri, Lalbagh, Nazira Bazar, Najimuddin Road, Mirpur, Benroshi Polli, and Elephant Road, all across Dhaka with hundreds, if not thousands, of copycats using Nanna Miya's brand image to run their own biryani business.

Abdullah Babul, Nanna Miya's nephew and his hand-picked successor, was there to witness it all: the initial struggles to its heyday.

"When we first began selling our signature item 'Morog Pulao' back in the 1960s, we did not have any physical store, nor did we have a typical sitting arrangement. We used to lay down thin mats on the floor of a small store in Moulvibazar," said Babul.

"We only operated in the daytime and initially cooked only five to six kgs of biryani each day. So it started with a very small initiative, but it also became an instant hit," he added.

Abdullah is currently heading the main branch at Becharam Deuri. He was very close to his uncle and even instinctively referred to him as 'Abba.'

"Nanna Miya was more of a father or mother to me than my own parents. When I was little, I used to help him in cooking and running the business alongside studying. He made me who I am today and I try to uphold his values to this day," said Abdullah.

According to Abdullah, Nanna Miya started the legacy of 'Haji Nanna Biryani' along with his brothers, Late Jummun Miya and Late Chan Miya. Interestingly, Nanna Biryani was not even the first restaurant they ran. Earlier, they used to run Ansar restaurant, a famous restaurant in pre-independence Lalbagh.

"It was long before our independence. Back then, Ansar Restaurant used to be one of the most prominent restaurants here. My uncle Hazi Nanna Miya along with his brothers used to run it. At one point, he and his friend Pyare Baburchi decided to cook biryani as an extra item/dish [and pursue it as a] side business and that's how Nanna Biryani began its journey," Abdullah reminisced.

Although Nanna Biryani began its journey at Moulvibazar, they later shifted to Sardar Bhaban at Becharam Deuri.

"Nanna Biryani really took off after we moved to Sardar Bhaban. Back then we only had 'Morog Polao' and 'Mutton Biryani'. Recently, we added 'Mutton Kacchi Biryani' to our menu as well," said Abdullah.

"As Nanna Miya's reputation grew and spread throughout the city, people from all across the country began coming here with their friends and family. People all the way from Gulshan, Banani, Dhanmondi regularly come here for our Morog Polao. Even parties from other districts placed bulk orders for our Morog Polao on different...

Nanna Biryani is a well-known and popular biryani establishment, particularly in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Here's a summary of what I found: Authenticity and Tradition: Nanna Biryani is known for its traditional biryani dishes, reflecting the culinary heritage of Old Dhaka. It has a long history, originating from humble beginnings and growing into a beloved local brand. Popular Dishes: They are famous for dishes like Morog Polao and Mutton Kacchi. They are also known for their Borhani and Firni. Locations and Popularity: They have multiple outlets, particularly in Old Dhaka. The outlet near Tara Masjid is especially renowned for its Morog Polao. There are also locations in other areas of Dhaka. Variations and Imitations: Due to its popularity, there are numerous imitators, so it's important to seek out the original Nanna Biryani. There are also Nanna biryani restaurants in other countries, such as the UK. Customer Experiences: Reviews indicate that the quality and prices can vary between different branches. However, the authentic flavors and traditional preparation methods are consistently praised. In essence, Nanna Biryani is a significant part of Dhaka's culinary scene, offering a taste of authentic...

No celebration is ever complete without biriyani. The word “Biriyani” comes from the Persian word “Birian” which means “fried before cooking.” One could conclude that the word biriyani originated in Iran. While biriyani is popularly associated with the Mughals, there are some historical evidences to show that there were other, similar rice based dishes prior to the Mughal era. There is mention about a rice dish known as “Oon Soru” in Tamil as early as the year 2 A.D. Oon Soru composed of rice, ghee, meat, turmeric, coriander, pepper, and bay leaf and was popular among the warriors. Muslim invaders like Turks, Arabs, Persians, and Afghans introduced the culture of feasts to the Indian sub continent. The Mughlai cuisines were developed during the reign of the Mughals. The Mughals introduced several recipes to India like biryani, pilaf and kebabs. With time biriyani became popular and many restaurants started to make their own biriyani. Today we will talk about four popular biriyani types of old Dhaka. They are Haji Biryani, Nanna Biryani, Nawab Biryani and...