Kuska Biryani | Kuska Rice using Dum Method

Kuska Biryani recipe using dum method with video. Most commonly called as kuska rice is a flavorful biryani variety that is served in restaurants across South India.

It is the plain biryani without the vegetables or any type of meat. It is one of the most popular choices for lunch that is served in all the food joints to people who do not eat meat.

Kuska rice is the most preferred choice of the vegetarians who want to eat biryani.

While veg dum biryani is the most popular choice for sunday biryani special for lunches, this kuska biryani is nothing less despite being plain.

Though there are several ways by which this kuska rice can be cooked, I’m sharing my way of cooking this rice.

This comes close to muslim style biryani because of the dum method and the way of cooking.

This kuska rice takes very less time than the other biryani varieties as it takes no chopping of vegetables or marination time.

The only thing you need to concentrate is to take the time to properly saute the ingredients every time after adding it for the specified amount of time as mentioned.

This will ensure that there is no raw smell of the masalas left over and the unique aroma of the biryani wafts out after you are done cooking it.

Points to note:

• I have used unbranded basmati rice that I bought in loose from a rice mandi.
• Instead of basmati rice, you can also use seeraga sambar rice.
• In kuska, there should be more onions than the tomatoes.
• Make sure that the curd is fresh. If using sour curd, reduce the quantity by half.
• I used homemade garam masala powder. Instead you can also use readymade biryani masala powder that is sold in shops.
• If you are going to pressure cook the rice, then open the lid immediately after the pressure releases on its own.
• You can use either ghee or oil or a combination of both to cook kuska.

Do check out these other biryani varieties from the blog,

Kesar Paneer Biryani
Mushroom Biryani
Channa Biryani
Baby Potato Biryani
Kothamalli Biryani

Kuska Biryani Recipe Video below:

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Kuska Biryani - Kuska Rice Recipe details below:

Kuska Biryani | Kuska Rice

Radhika

Kuska Biryani recipe using dum method with video. Most commonly called as kuska rice is a flavorful biryani variety that is served in restaurants across South India.

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Dum Time 30 mins

Course Main

Cuisine South Indian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• Basmati Rice - 1-1/2 cups
• Onion - 2
• Tomato - 1
• Green chillies - 2
• Coriander leaves - 1/2 handful
• Mint - 1 handful
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Fresh curd or yogurt - 3 to 4 tsp
• Red chili powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Water - 3 cups
• Salt - to taste
• Ghee or oil - 2 tbsp

Whole Spices:

• Cardamom - 1
• Cloves - 4
• Cinnamon - 2 inch piece
• Star Anise - 2
• Bay leaf - 1
• Black stone flower or Kalpaasi - 1 big pinch (optional)

Instructions

 

Preparation:

• Wash and soak basmati rice for 30 mins.
• Chop onion into juliennes.
• Chop tomato into chunks.
• Slit the green chillies.

How to make dum kuska biryani in open pan:

• Heat a pressure cooker/pan or any heavy bottomed pan.
• Add ghee or oil. When it becomes warm, add all the whole spices.
• Fry over low flame for 20 to 30 secs till the aroma is released.
• Add onion and saute till it becomes golden brown in color.
• Add tomato and green chillies.
• Saute till the tomatoes turn mushy & release its juices.
• Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 1 min making sure that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Beat curd well without any lumps and add to the pan.
• Saute for 1 more minute.
• Add salt, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and mix well.
• Saute till the raw smell goes off and the mixture comes together in a lump.
• The ghee or oil we have added would start woozing out at this stage.
• Drain basmati rice completely and add it to the pan.
• Add 3 cups water, check salt at this stage. and mix gently.
• Cook over medium flame for 5 mins.
• At this stage, the rice would have begun to absorb the water.
• Close the pan with a lid and cook for 20 to 25 mins over medium flame.
• Open the lid at the 20th minute and you can find that all the water would have been absorbed but the mixture to be still moist.
• The rice would have been cooked 90%
• Simmer the flame completely and once again close with lid and cook for 5 more mins.
• After 5 mins, open the lid and there wont be any moisture left and the rice would have been cooked fully.
• Switch off the stove. Sprinkle little coriander and mint leaves over the rice.
• Close the pan with a tight fitting lid without any gaps.
• Place a heavy object like a cast iron pan, mortar or pestle or iron dosa tawa over the plate to prevent the flavors from escaping and to lock in the aroma.
• Leave it undisturbed for 30 mins.
• After 30 mins, open the lid and mix the rice very gently with a spatula.
• Aromatic kuska biryani is ready.
• Serve hot with some fried onions sprinkled on top, onion raita or boiled eggs.

How to pressure cook kuska biryani:

• At step no.14, instead of adding 3 cups water, add only 2 cups water
• After step no. 17, close the pan with lid and cook for 1 whistle over medium flame and switch off the stove.
• Once the pressure gets released on its own, immediately open the lid, else the rice will turn mushy from the water droplets falling onto the rice from the lid.
• Mix gently and serve hot.

Video