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 (Stepwise Photos)
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 Recipe | Kuska Rice
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 2 cups rice (preferably basmati)
- 3½ cups water or stock (chicken or veg stock, 2½ cups for Instant pot)
- 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons Oil
- ½ cup onion thinly sliced (or about 1 lmedium)
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- ½ cup tomato chopped ( or about 1 large, deseeded)
- Salt as needed
- Handful mint (pudina & coriander)
- ¼ cup curd (fresh yogurt, do not use sour one)
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric (haldi)
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
- 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon biryani masala powder (or garam masala)
Whole Spices for kuska
- 1 bay leaf (tej patta)
- 4 to 6 cloves (laung)
- 4 to 6 green cardamoms (elaichi)
- 1 star anise (chakri phool)
- ½ teasponn shahi jeera (or cumin seeds/ jeera)
- 1 strand mace (javitri)
- 1 cinnamon (dalchini) two inch
Instructions
How to Make Biryani Rice (Kuska)
- 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,biryani masala (or garam masala), pudina, coriander, salt and turmeric.
- 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.
Instant Pot Biryani Rice
- Pour oil to the steel insert of the Instant pot and press the saute button. Add all the whole spices, followed by onions.
- Saute until the onions turn golden. Stir in the ginger garlic and saute for 30 to 50 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, yogurt, red chilli powder, biryani masala, mint, coriander, salt and turmeric. Saute until the yogurt and tomatoes cook down to a mushy paste.
- Drain the water from the rice and add it here. Pour 2½ cups water and deglaze the pot. Taste test and add more salt if required. Secure the Instant pot with the lid and position to the steam release value to sealing.
- Pressure cook for 6 minutes on high pressure. Let the pressure drop manually for 8 minutes, after that release manually. Gently fluff up the rice with a fork and serve biryani rice with any curry or a simple raita.
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

We absolutely loved this rice! It was easy to make and a pure delight. I had to get a bit creative with some if the ingredients, greek yogourt and 3 whole chili peppers works just fine apparently lol. Thank you!
Glad to know Martine.
Thank you so much!
This biryani rice turned out awesome! I made this in the stovetop cooker. I am new to instant pot so didn’t know how to make it exactly. Please add some instructions for IP.
This was the most delicious thing I have ever tasted – a really really good recipe… those are soooo hard to come by. Once in a lifetime recipe.
Hello Anastasia
Glad it turned out good! Thank you for letting us know how much you like it.
I tried it and came out delicious. I once ate this in a restaurant in Chennai. This one tasted almost same but with less oil.
This rice was absolutely delicious.
Thank you.
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