IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card # 14
Describe your favourite food.
You should say:
- what the food is
- how it is cooked or prepared
- what it tastes like
and explain why it is your favourite food.
[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer:
Not sure who first prepared chicken biriyani, but I certainly am glad that he/she decided to come up with such a brilliant food idea by blending the tastes of chicken and rice in perfect measure and harmony. Otherwise, the world probably would have missed out on such a premium dish that has ruled our appetite for more than 500 years in a large part of Asia (especially in the Indian subcontinent) and the middle-east. Long live chicken biriyani, for you surely bring water in my mouth with your savoury taste!
Depending on our preference, taste buds, geographic locations and the availability of ingredients, chicken biriyani(s) may be cooked in some simple ways with common spices & ingredients in the mix as well as in more sophisticated ways. Of course, where I live, chicken biriyanis can be prepared with some minimal efforts because of the availability of common ingredients. All we need is some basmati rice (or any other long grain rice for that matter), nicely-cut chicken breasts, clarified butter, onion paste, garlic paste, ginger paste, cumin powder, coriander paste, chilli powder, bay leaves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, some raisins, turmeric powder, green chilies, sour curds and some thinly-sliced onions.
First, marinate chicken pieces in sour curds by mixing spices (except sliced onions, butter and green chillies) with them in proper proportions for a few hours. Fry the rice in butter along with green chillies and sliced onions until they are properly roasted. Once properly roasted, pour some hot water in it and boil the rice for about 15/20 minutes in low heat. When the rice is properly cooked, sprinkle some raisins on it. Next, start to fry the marinated chickens in oil/butter until they have a nice brown colour. Once done with frying, mix the fried chicken pieces with the cooked rice, and stir them up gently from upside down a few times. Viola! Your chicken biriyani is ready to be served with a glass of nicely-made burhani (a liquid drink made with sour curds with the help of some secret recipes, some say) if you prefer! Bon appétit!
This is a favourite food item for millions of people all around the world and it tastes delicious. The celestial smell and incredible taste of chicken biriyani put it on the top of a food lover’s list and I love it because it perfectly fits my taste buds and fills my appetite. Moreover, it is always a food item that my mother cooks on special occasions thus making it a part of my happy memory. How can I not love it!