Lees dit in het Nederlands: Biryani in Den Haag
Biryani is one of the most ordered dishes in Den Haag right now — and one of the most misunderstood. Most people think of it as "rice with curry mixed in." Real biryani is something else entirely, and the difference comes down to one technique: dum.
What biryani actually is
Biryani is a layered dish. Partially cooked basmati rice is layered with marinated meat, paneer, or vegetables, along with fried onions, herbs, and whole spices, then sealed in a pot and slow-cooked in its own steam. That sealing technique is called dum — it's what lets the rice finish cooking while absorbing the flavour of the meat and spices beneath it, rather than the two simply being stirred together afterward.
Why the dum method matters
A shortcut version of biryani boils the rice and meat separately, then combines them at the end. It's faster, but the rice never fully absorbs the depth of the marinade and spice layer beneath it. At Anaya Foods, every biryani is sealed and slow-cooked the traditional way, which is why each grain of rice carries flavour rather than just sitting next to it.
Halal chicken and lamb, done properly
Our chicken and lamb biryani use 100% Halal certified meat, marinated for hours before layering. Same kitchen standard as everything else on the menu — no separate halal section, no shortcuts for this dish specifically.
Vegetarian and vegan biryani, not an afterthought
Anaya Foods also serves a vegetable biryani and a paneer biryani, layered using the same dum technique as the meat versions — not a simplified side dish. Both are clearly tagged on the menu alongside our full range of vegetarian and vegan dishes.
How to spot good biryani anywhere in Den Haag
- Rice grains should be separate and fluffy, not clumped or mushy
- You should be able to see distinct layers of rice, meat or vegetables, and fried onions when it's served
- Flavour should be present in the rice itself, not just the meat or vegetables beneath it
Taste the difference dum-cooked biryani makes — halal chicken and lamb, or vegetarian and vegan, all made the traditional way.
Anaya Foods · Duinstraat 1, 2584 AV Scheveningen, Den Haag · +31 70 383 9500