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After Barbie biryani, Mumbai baker makes 'Hulk' biryani

As Heena Kauser's new take on the rice dish also goes viral, she says folks want more movie character-themed biryanis.

Updated on: Mar 6, 2024, 14:37:38 IST
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There's never a dull minute for Heena Kauser Raad, who shot to online fame after she made a Barbie biryani this February. The pink-hued dish she posted on Instagram went viral touching 2,23,700 likes and eliciting a variety of reactions with some asking how it was made and others saying, "Next, make Barbie Nihari and Barbie Kulche". And now, the Mumbai-based baker has upped that with another innovative dish - Hulk Biryani! Riding on the creative wave of her new foodie outings, she speaks to us on what else is coming up on the food itinerary

Heena Kauser Raad on her Hulk-themed biryani and (R) her Barbie biryani that went viral (Instagram)
Heena Kauser Raad on her Hulk-themed biryani and (R) her Barbie biryani that went viral (Instagram)

'I was called a biryani qaatil, others said they were inspired to try this'

Heena is already strategising about her new dishes as you wonder how she came up with her recent foodie concepts. She clarifies: "I'm not a Barbie fan, actually. My friends suggested I try this with a pink pasta and I told them, 'I'm a desi person, so I'd rather prepare pink tikkas, pink butter chicken or pink biryani'.

Giving the traditional dish a pink hue (Instagram)
Giving the traditional dish a pink hue (Instagram)

At the end, she decided on biryani and says, "As soon as I uploaded the Barbie biryani, it got so many responses - so many said they were inspired by it and started the prep for it at home and while others didn't like the twist to the dish. Kuch log bura maan gaye and said it's not biryani and even called me a biryani qaatil. But it was just a craze I had to try something zany and it was done light-heartedly. After all, social media is about having fun, right? she asks.

To add to the innovative bandwagon, last Sunday, Heena made a Hulk biryani for her school, HKR Baking Academy, and that has soared to fame, too! "The Barbie biryani went viral immediately and now, so has the Hulk one; it got six million views since I posted about it. All I did was use green-masala tikkas and prepare rice in palak soup along with spices," she informs.

If the big question in your mind is about food colouring being used, she states that dishes don't need to have any colouring in them. "One can use beetroot juice and palak paste to create pink and green colours," she adds.

'Some even asked for an Oppenheimer biryani'

Given that she's whipping up so much attention, people are now asking her what's next. "Some want me to make more movie character-themed biryanis and some even asked for an Oppenheimer-biryani!" Keep the ingredients ready, for there's a new one coming up soon. "It's a complete surprise, she grins.