The X algorithm is chasing me.
After bookmarking this post, my timeline became full of biryani.
https://x.com/o_kilo_byte/status/2090436662862254464
The biryani sold at 7-Eleven is supervised by Eric South. Speaking of Eric South, it's a popular South Indian restaurant in the Yaesu Underground Mall at Tokyo Station. Many people visit specifically for the "biryani," an Indian mixed rice dish made with spices and long-grain rice (basmati rice).
Since it's a biryani supervised by such a popular restaurant, I was already curious. Then I saw this life hack: it tastes better if you heat it upside down.
"I just have to try this."
That's what I thought.
But then I realized a problem. I haven't even eaten the regular version yet. If I don't know the "front" (standard), trying the "back" (hack) won't let me say "this one is better!"
Usually, these hacks are noticed by people who have enjoyed the standard way for a while; jumping straight to the hack feels like cheating.
However, this biryani is a limited-time item, and I don't know how long it will be available.
So I made a bold move. On Sunday morning, after a 6km run, I bought two at the 7-Eleven on my way back. They are 753.84 yen (tax included) each, so two cost 1,507 yen. Including the plastic bag, the total was 1,510 yen.
I got home and started preparing immediately.
According to the original post, when heating it upside down, you're supposed to poke holes for steam to escape.
I poked four holes with a fork. I struggled a bit with some scotch tape, but I got the holes in.
Apparently, it takes 3 minutes at 500W.
Then the "which one to heat first" problem arose, but thinking that one purpose of turning it over is "steaming," I decided to heat the hack version first.
It should be fine, but I was worried it might spill.
Next, I heated the standard version.
The standard version definitely feels more secure visually.
Once they were both heated, it was finally time to open them. First, the standard version.
It's authentic biryani. Colorful with chicken, potatoes, carrots, and pickled purple cabbage, it really whets the appetite.
Next, I opened the hack version. Since I'm using the lid as a plate, I felt a bit guilty. The lid isn't very deep, so I was worried about spilling.
Surprisingly, it didn't spill and was fine. Naturally, the "lid" looks different.
Comparing them side-by-side, the difference is clear. Obviously, the standard version looks better.
Now, let's eat. Starting with the standard version, of course.
"Delicious."
It was as good as the rumors said. This is definitely not just "convenience store level," and the price of 753.84 yen makes sense. My gut feeling is that this would cost around 1,200 to 1,400 yen at a restaurant.
Now for the main event. Trying the hack version.
My first thought was:
"Oh, this is different!"
It was clearly a different thing. In the hack version, the rice was fluffier, and I could really sense the elegant and mellow aroma of the basmati rice.
What's the difference?
Looking closely, I figured it out. It's the sauce.
In the standard version, the sauce is on top, so the rice is coated in sauce from the very first bite. I ate both after mixing them lightly, but the way the sauce coated the rice was quite different.
Looking at the photos, you can see the rice in the standard version is soggier.
After that, I compared the meat, but didn't notice much difference. In the photos, the standard version looks drier, but that might just be the specific cut of meat; I don't think the taste differed much.
On the other hand, there was a big difference in the potatoes. The standard version was firmer, while the hack version was soft and fluffy. However, this could be due to individual variation; the potato in the standard version was larger, so heat might not have penetrated as well.
Either way, the differences in the ingredients weren't as significant as the first impression. It seems the amount of sauce coating the rice has a huge impact on the overall impression. The proof is in how clear the difference becomes toward the end.
It's a bit messy, but look at the rice left at the end. In the standard version, what remained at the end was fluffy rice. In the hack version, soggy rice remained at the end.
I think I've found my own answer to whether "heating it upside down makes it taste better."
In the standard version, a strong flavor comes in the first bite and gradually gets lighter.
In contrast, with the hack, a light flavor comes in the first bite and gradually gets stronger.
This flow from "light to heavy" is probably a culinary theory. In sushi terms, it's like eating white fish at the start and finishing with sauce-based items like conger eel.
When I heard "it tastes better if you heat it upside down," I imagined the ingredients might get softer due to the way the steam heats them, but after investigating like this, I've reached the conclusion that the main factor might be something else entirely.
(After all, this is just my personal opinion.)
Whether you go from strong flavor to light, or light flavor to strong. Even with the same ingredients and the same product, the impression changes quite a bit. It seems the deliciousness of a dish is created not just by what you eat, but also by the order in which you taste it.
Several times during that Sunday afternoon, while taking photos of two biryanis side-by-side, I wondered what on earth I was doing. But maybe days when you can do things like this are what make a Sunday truly rich.
