Z's Vegan Biryani

It was perfect timing that Z (@globalmatsoulkitchen) offered vegan biryani, and I caught it two minutes after he posted the notice on IG Stories. The spices would hit a spot for the man who misses this sort of spice if he couldn't have them during the week in London. Indian food features prominently in our household. Thosai for breakfast can be a thrice-a-week affair. Well, I already double-boiled a soup of pork ribs and watercress for his lunch, but biryani would be great for dinner. 

Z's vegan biryani held a masala of purple sweet potatoes, potatoes with skin and carrots. It was hearty, yet it didn't feel as heavy or greasy as a meat biryani would. It also came with a small tub of pickles. We didn't need it vegan. So we added boiled eggs and raw cherry tomatoes to our portions. The man said that the biryani at the SQ lounge at Changi Airport was sad. The in-flight biryani branded as a dum biryani from Bismillah was much better. But nothing beats a proper biryani the way Z does it.  

I also passed a box of biryani to the BFF. The detour around a suddenly-closed Middle East airspace and the in-flight wifi meant that she had plenty of time to yell that she wanted a box. Hahah. She landed at Changi Airport, cleared customs and baggage (with two heavy suitcases and two crates), and fulfilled PCR swab testing and hopped into a cab — within 30 minutes. BEST. I happily turned up at her flat an hour after she got home from the airport. We didn't eat together. She had to await the results of her on-arrival PCR test. (She got it 5 hours later — negative. Cleared. Yay.) So it was prudent that we didn't remove our masks upon meeting. I simply did a drop-off of food and random fruits and yoghurt. 

The BFF lugged back a crate of wine. She gifted us a lovely bottle of Riesling GG from Prinz von Hessen Johannisberger Klaus. It was chilled from the cold cargo hold, and she threw it into a chiller at home. We normally don't bother with having wine for daily casual dinners. But tonight was special. The Riesling went beautifully with the biryani. Mmmmm. The BFF had never tried Z's biryani; tonight was the first few spoonfuls. She said she had to resist finishing up the entire box at a go, and shoved half into the fridge. She loved it. This elegant vegan version hit all the right spots for her. It was a gorgeous welcome home meal for the happy travelers.