Biryani rice is a popular Indian rice dish made with basmati rice & biryani essentials like spices, herbs, yogurt and onions. It is nothing but a one pot vegetarian plain biryani rice made without any meat or veggies. Also known as Kuska rice or plain biryani in South India, this is a very flavorful and spicy dish that can be made in a jiffy. Biryani is one of the most loved dishes in India and there are so many kinds of biryanis made.
While a lot of people say a dish without meat is not a biryani and a lot more say a dish which is not dum cooked is not a biryani. However the truth is that there is no one way it is made. But yes an authentic biryani is said to have meat and is always dum cooked.
So this biryani rice is a fake version of the authentic biryani as it has no meat and is not dum cooked. Down in the Southern parts of India this is one dish that is immensely popular in budget & medium scale restaurants. It is also called as kuska or plain biryani.
It is simply flavor packed and can be eaten without any sides. But in restaurants it is usually served with a gravy known as salna. A lot of people also eat this with kurma or even with raita.
Vegetarians eat with a vegetarian side and meat lovers serve it with chicken salna or chicken kurma or any meat based gravy.
To make biryani rice, all the biryani essentials like premium quality rice, whole spices, mint leaves, coriander leaves, onions and yogurt are used. Tomato is one unusual ingredient that is used here mostly because the dish tastes bland without it.
Since there is no much chopping or blending work involved this recipe is super quick to make. You can make this biryani rice in a regular pot, stovetop pressure cooker or in an instant pot.
How to make biryani rice
1. Wash and soak rice for about 20 to 30 mins. Meanwhile prepare the onions and tomatoes. After 30 mins drain the rice completely to a colander. Set this aside.
2. Heat oil in a pot or pressure cooker. Add bay leaf, star anise, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, shahi jeera and mace. Saute until the shahi jeera splutters.
3. Add sliced 3/4 cup onions and fry until golden.
4. Add 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste and fry until it smells good.
5. Make sure the raw smell of garlic goes away.
6. Add tomatoes and yogurt. Stir to prevent burning.
7. Add 1/2 to 3/4 tsp red chili powder, little turmeric, handful of mint, coriander, salt and 1 tsp biryani masala powder (optional). For the kuska rice, most ppl do not use biryani masala powder.
8. Cook until the tomatoes turn mushy and oil begins to separate.
9. Add 3 1/2 cups water. Bring it to a boil.
10. Add drained rice. Mix well.
11. Cook on a medium flame until very little water is left. Refer the picture. Lower the flame completely. Cover the pot or pressure cooker with a lid and cook for exactly 5 to 6 mins. I used a pressure cooker.
12. When the rice is done, open the lid and fluff up.
Serve with raita or with any of the biryani gravy. This rice goes very well with any veg or non veg gravy. Some serving suggestions for vegetarians are
soya chunks kurma
bagara baingan
mirch ka salan
shorba
Non-vegetarians can serve this with
chicken curry
egg curry
For more Rice recipes you can check
Chicken biryani in cooker
Veg biryani in pressure cooker
Egg biryani in pressure cooker
Potato biryani
Paneer dum biryani
Recipe card
Biryani rice (Kuska rice)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 2 cups rice (preferably basmati)
- 3.5 cups water or stock (chicken or veg stock)
- 2 to 2 ½ tbsp Oil
- ½ cup onion thinly sliced (or about 1 lmedium)
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- ½ cup tomato chopped ( or about 1 large, deseeded)
- Salt as needed
- Handful mint (or pudina & coriander)
- ¼ cup curd or fresh yogurt (do not use sour one)
Spices for kuska
- 1 bay leaf (or tej patta)
- 4 to 6 cloves (or laung)
- 4 to 6 green cardamoms (or elaichi)
- 1 star anise (or chakri phool)
- ½ tsp shahi jeera (or jeera)
- 1 strand mace (or javitri)
- 1 cinnamon (or dalchini) two inch
- ¼ tsp Turmeric (or haldi)
- ½ to ¾ tsp red chili powder (or lal mirch powder)
- 1 to 1 ½ tsp biryani masala powder (any readymade will do) (optional)
Instructions
How to make kuska rice biryani
- Rinse and soak rice for at least 20 minutes. Drain water completely. Set aside.
- Heat a pressure cooker or a heavy bottom pan with oil. Add spices and fry till they turn fragrant.
- Next add onions and fry till onions turn golden.
- Add ginger garlic paste and fry till it gets fragrant. Do not burn
- Transfer tomatoes,curd, red chili powder, pudina, coriander, salt and turmeric. If using biryani masala powder add it now.
- Fry till tomatoes turn mushy, soft and pulpy. The mixture begins to leave the oil as well.
- Pour water or stock and bring water to a boil. adjust the salt (you could vary the amount of water based on your rice)
- Add rice and cook till very little water is left. refer the pic
- Cover the pressure cooker with the lid, cook on a low flame for 3 to 5 mins. Do not let the cooker whistle.
- if cooking in a pan or casserole, just cover tightly and cook till the rice is fully done. it could take around 5 mins. If using normal rice, allow to whistle once.
- Let the pressure go off, then fluff up the biryani kuska rice.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Thank you for your recipe I am going to try it today.
Tried this recipe and it turned out well. I chose to add some ready biryani masala so it was a little spicy but still good. Thanks for the recipe.
Welcome Rev
Glad it turned out good. Thanks for leaving a comment
Hi Swasthi, thanks a lot for that very successful recipe, it is just perfect and precise one. I love it.
Hi Serge
Welcome! So glad you like it
This is one of the best recipe. It’s a no fail recipe. I even tried it with Quinoa. It taste delicious and hide the bitterness of the quinoa. Thank you Mam for the recipe
Welcome Nisha
Glad you liked it.
🙂
Thank you for these amazing recipes. We love Indian food and have tried different recipe sites. Your recipes are spot on and better than our favorite restaurant. Thank you for sharing your talent with the world of food lovers!!
Hello Keri,
You are welcome! Glad you like the recipes. Thank you so much!
Thnku so much…I follow all ur recipes,☺️☺️
Welcome Divya
Thank you so much!
?
Thank you
Thanks you so much Swathi for posting these recipes with methods and photos, nice work and I only trust your recipes when I cook, even simple receipe like upma I cook as per your recipes. I simply love this site, thank you so much and you are recipes are always a hit!
Hi Asha,
You are welcome! Thank you so much! Glad to know you love the blog.
🙂
Easy n quick to make.
Very good receipe for beginners.
Today’s lunch in my house.
My son commented super?
Glad it turned out good. Thanks for the comment.
Very Nice Recipe mam,I am now cooking biryani rice with your help.
Thank you Amit,
Hope you like the biryani rice.
Yes I also think that.
Simply super recipe
Thanks Farida
Very Gud and easy to do recipes. Thanks
It was amazing I like it.????
Thanks for trying
Very neat and tastey recipe. I tried it came out very well.
Thank you.
Hi Dr.Nandhini
You are welcome. Thank you so much for the comment. Glad to know biryani rice turned out good.
Hello Swasti garu,
I made this yesterday for my son’s lunch box and I was surprised to see it demotivated school. He just loved it!!! He is 3.5yrs old and never eats anything that is packed in his box so decided to try this one and it was a hit!!
I have been worried that he is not been eating his lunch everyday and now I’m relaxed and happy. Today I made him the carrot rice using your recipe…I mostly cook your recipes even for my husband and guests who visit and you have never failed me even once….I am so glad to be learning various recipes from you. I have been wanting to thank you for long and finally got a chance to do so….May God bless you and your family with lots of love and peace. Thank you soooo much once again for all your sharing ☺☺
Welcome Priyanka
Thank you so much for the comment. Made me so happy. So glad to know the recipes are useful.
Thanks a ton again for the wishes.
🙂
please tell me how much rice should i soak for 2 person
Hi Raajanya
1 cup (240 to 250 ml cup) will be enough for 2. If you are making for men then use 1½ cups.
thank u
I LOVE THIS RECIPE SOOOO MUCH…IT IS AMAZING DISH FOR SERVING OUR RELATIVES TOO WHEN THEY COME HOME.I HAD TRIED THIS RECIPE TWICE AND ALL MY FAMILY MEMBERS SAID IT WAS SO DELICIOUS ….THANK YOU FOR THE SAME ..
Welcome Sri,
So glad to know you all liked it. Thanks for the comment. It made me happy!
🙂
This recepie is so simple and easy to prepare. It is so tasty, my husband loved it. Thank you very much Swathi??
Welcome Nimeelitha
Hi,
Really nice recipe, thank you so much for sharing it. I did it with a butter chicken masala as suggested. I was wondering if in this recipe, is it possible to fry the onions in the beginning so that they become crispy then put them aside and once the rice is done, sprinkle the crispy onion on top? I’m just asking as even if cut the onions really thinly, at the end they were really visible but still tasty, but it looked messy with the rice
It’s probably my fault as I didn’t chop them off. I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipe. Thank you so much
Welcome Amena
Thanks a lot for trying. Yes as you said it is possible to fry the onions in the beginning and set aside. But they wont turn crisp unless deep fried with some corn flour sprinkled on them. I have shared a similar recipe here Ghee rice.
It depends on individuals taste, as you mentioned this may not go well with those who do not like soft cooked or chunky onions. In that case using onion paste & tomato puree is good. But the speciality of this kuska rice is it uses onions in the sliced form and they add taste to the rice.
Thanks a lot for the suggestion. I will try to make a new recipe based on your points and will also update this post.
Tried this Recipe…it was so simple to prepare and taste was awesome ???
Awesome? yummm?