The term biryani comes from the Farsi phrase birinj biriyan, “fried rice.” Rice is fried separately until about half-cooked, usually in oil or ghee, and then placed in a pot along with marinated meat or vegetables and spices. Biryani was first recorded in India in the Deccan region of the south, suggesting that it was brought there by merchants via a sea route. Biryani has since spread to all parts of the Indian subcontinent, with numerous local and regional variations. Varieties of biryani are also found in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, and Oman.