Biryani Rice Recipe | Kuska Rice

Biryani Rice Recipe | Kuska Rice

South Indian Biryani rice also known as kuska is a one pot super flavorful dish made with rice, spices, tomatoes, herbs and small amount of yogurt. Serve it with salan, biryani gravy or any other curry of your choice.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips.

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time30 minutes

Total Time35 minutes

Servings4

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 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

How to make the recipe

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.

NUTRITION (estimation only)