Hundy’s Brings Biryani to Boulder

Like most cuisines, there is not one dish that defines all Indian food. But when Atreyee Bhattacharya and Ritayan Mitra moved to Boulder, they found that the rich, creamy dishes at Indian restaurants did not represent the food they grew up with, or scratch that itch for a taste of home. What was missing was the aromatic Kolkata biryani that can be found on every street corner in their home city.

Biryani, the most popular style of cooking in India, can be found in over 30 regional variations, but Atreyee and Ritayan say that Kolkata biryani is the most beloved. Packed full of flavor rather than spice, biryani gets its signature taste from the traditional two step cooking technique. Rice and protein are cooked separately, then layered together and cooked low and slow in a pot called a hundy – the namesake of Hundy’s. 

Sticking to this traditional style of cooking, the duo began making biryani for their friends and quickly found that not only did it bring them closer to home, it also brought them closer to their community. Encouraged by friends to bring their delicious meals to a wider audience, Atreyee began Hundy’s as a catering business during the pandemic. Now, the pair both work on Hundy’s full time.

While catering and grab-and-go options got their business started, as long time farmers market customers, they felt they were missing an opportunity to further connect with community members. Introducing an entirely new food to their neighbors was much easier when given the opportunity to connect directly with customers. 

While Hundy’s has steadily grown over the years, it has not been all smooth sailing. Both Atreyee and Ritayan are scientists without a business background in their education or families. But, as researchers they know one thing – when faced with challenges, they can learn and experiment until something clicks. Now, they continue to take things one step at a time as they reach new audiences and experiment with new flavors.

One thing that makes them confident in their business is this – they say that if your food is good, people will find it. Even if customers haven’t had biryani before, they are often interested in trying new things, especially here in Boulder County. Plus, the food is similar enough to Indian flavors that you may recognize, helping to bridge the gap between familiar and new. 

To bring those flavors even closer to their new home, they have begun creating seasonal market biryani that highlights in-season flavors from other market vendors. In this way, their food has become both global and local.

While many new businesses are inclined to continue to grow as far and wide as possible, Atreyee and Ritayan have decided to take a different approach. As climate scientists, they are well aware of the benefits of local food systems for the environment. Reducing the miles that food travels to your plate helps to decrease the energy needed to bring your dinner to you. So, instead of trying to expand their reach farther and farther from their current home in Boulder, they invest even further into the local community.

They aim to sell at more local markets, and have their food pop up in more local-focused shops. You can already find them at the Niwot Market, Lucky’s Market, and in our year-round online market here at BCFM. You can shop from Hundy’s and many other local food vendors all year long at shop.bcfm.org.