• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
My Tasty Curry
  • Recipe Index
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Lunch and Dinner
    • Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
    • Indian Recipes
      • Indian Chinese Recipes
      • Indian Cooking Basics
      • Indian desserts
      • Indian Main Course
      • Breads
      • Chutneys Pickles and Condiments
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • One Pot Meals
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Sandwich Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • International Recipes
      • Dessert Recipes
      • Italian Recipes
      • Mediterranean Recipes
  • About Rekha
  • Meal Plans
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Lunch and Dinner
    • Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
    • Indian Recipes
      • Indian Chinese Recipes
      • Indian Cooking Basics
      • Indian desserts
      • Indian Main Course
      • Breads
      • Chutneys Pickles and Condiments
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • One Pot Meals
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Sandwich Recipes
    • Soup Recipes
    • International Recipes
      • Dessert Recipes
      • Italian Recipes
      • Mediterranean Recipes
  • About Rekha
  • Meal Plans
  • connect with me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • Recipes
      • Appetizers and Snacks
      • Lunch and Dinner
      • Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
      • Indian Recipes
        • Indian Chinese Recipes
        • Indian Cooking Basics
        • Indian desserts
        • Indian Main Course
        • Breads
        • Chutneys Pickles and Condiments
      • Air Fryer Recipes
      • One Pot Meals
      • Instant Pot Recipes
      • Salad Recipes
      • Sandwich Recipes
      • Soup Recipes
      • International Recipes
        • Dessert Recipes
        • Italian Recipes
        • Mediterranean Recipes
    • About Rekha
    • Meal Plans
  • connect with me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Indian Recipes » Indian Street Food

    Kuska Biryani Recipe

    Apr 22, 2019 Modified: Feb 10, 2022 by Rekha Kakkar This post may contain affiliate links ·

    166 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • WhatsApp
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    Kuska or plain biryani is a popular, one-pot biryani recipe that is mouth wateringly delicious. Kuska biryani is an aromatic biryani recipe that is slow-cooked to perfection. This plain-biryani recipe needs no fancy ingredient and taste well with cucumber raita or Mirchi salan.

    Kuska is a mouthwatering, popular biryani of south India that is mainly cooked in rice, aromatic spices, tomato, and onions! Kuska biryani has a very rich flavor that comes from slow-cooked basmati rice in roasted spices, onions, and yogurt.

    This plain biryani is unlike any other biryani you ever had. Even without any vegetable, egg or meat, this biryani recipe tastes incredible. Like I said before, I often serve the biryani with cucumber raita or salan, you can serve it with any curry of your choice.

    I know like me, most of you are on a constant hunt for luscious delicacies. And this hunt brought me straight to this gem of a recipe, or should I say biryani.

    Kuska biryani is originated from the South-Indian cuisine and it comes as no surprise that most of the restaurants serve this delicacy.

    I was too a bit skeptical before cooking this recipe as it's only cooked with rice and spices, but the moment I had a spoonful of it, I was a goner! Trust me, Kuska biryani might look less fancy but still taste flavorful.

    How To Make Kuska Biryani

    Kuska Biryani is typically cooked in a pressure cooker but you can cook them in a pan as well. It is important to cook the masalas until oil leaves the pan otherwise the biryani will have a bland taste.

    Yogurt gives the perfect tanginess to the recipe but if you like you can also add a teaspoon of coconut milk for that extra flavor.

    If you love Kuska Biryani do try Cauliflower rice, Coconut Rice, Veg Fried Rice, and Schezwan rice.

    Recipe Note and Tips

    • I have used fresh yogurt, you can use coconut paste if you like.
    • You can cook Kuska in Arborio/medium grain rice or basmati/long grain rice for cooking Kuska.
    • If you are using coconut milk then add water accordingly, otherwise, the rice may be sticky and over-cook.

    How to Cook Kuska

    To make Kuska Biryani, heat ghee in a pan and when it starts to smoke add cumin seeds in it.

    After that, add ½ cinnamon stick, maze, black pepper, bay leaf, fennel seeds, star anise, green cardamom, and clove in the pan. Stir the masalas.

    After that add chopped onions, stir the onions until they are light golden brown. Keep stirring them in between to prevent over browning.

    When the onions are golden brown add green chilies in it. Stir everything and then add fresh tomatoes (chopped) along with tomatoes add turmeric, red chili powder, and salt.

    Keep the heat from low to medium and cook the masalas 'til tomatoes turn soft and pulpy.

    When tomatoes are soft and mushy and the masalas start to leave the oil then add curd/yogurt in the pan.
    Mix the yogurt fast so that it does not curdle and then cook them again for a minute or two.

    Add garam masala and then add washed and soaked basmati rice.

    Mix the rice and then add mint and coriander leaves in it. Now, add water (2 cups of water in the pan)

    Gently mix the rice so that they do not break and then cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid.

    Cover and cook everything 'til rice is done. It will take around 10-15 minutes. When the rice is cooked turn off the heat, remove the lid and serve the biryani hot with any curry of your choice.

    Kuska Biryani Recipe Step by Step Video

    Other Biryani Recipes on My Tasty Curry

    You may like to try egg biryani, Hyderabadi dum chicken biryani or boneless chicken biryani recipe.

    Kuska Recipe

    Kuska is plain biryani cooked in onion, tomatoes and aromatic spices that tastes great with cucumber raita or Mirchi salan.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: dinner, lunch
    Cuisine: indian cuisine, south indian
    Keyword: biryani, kuska biryani, plain biryani
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 294kcal
    Author: Rekha Kakkar

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup Basmati Rice
    • 1 Tomato) (chopped
    • 1 Onion (chopped)
    • 3 tablespoon Yogurt
    • 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
    • 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Salt to taste
    • 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
    • 1 Bayleaf
    • 2 Cardamom
    • ½ Cinnamon Stick
    • 10 Black Pepper
    • 4 Clove
    • 4 Green Chili
    • ½ teaspoon Fennel Seeds
    • 1 Star Anise
    • 1 Mace
    • 2 tablespoon Ghee
    • 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves
    • tablespoon Mint Leaves

    Instructions

    • Heat a pan and add 2 tablespoons of ghee in it. When ghee is hot start with adding the spices in the pan.
    • Add a teaspoon of cumin seeds, ½ cinnamon stick, maze, black pepper, bay leaf, fennel seeds, star anise, green cardamom, and clove.
    • After that add chopped onions in the pan. Stir the onions until they are golden brown.
    • When the onions are golden brown add green chili and stir.
    • Then add fresh tomatoes (chopped) in the pan and a teaspoon of turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt.
    • Keep the heat from low-to-medium and cook until the tomatoes turn soft and pulpy.
    • When the tomatoes are soft and the masala begins to leave oil, add 2 teaspoons of yogurt/curd in it.
    • Mix the yogurt with the masala and cook for another minute.
    • Now, add a teaspoon of garam masala and soaked basmati rice in the pan.
    • Add mint leaves and coriander leaves on top and mix well. 
    • Now, add 2 cups of water and cover and cook until the rice is done or pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium heat.
    • When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat, release the pressure. Serve the biryani hot with raita or salan.

    Video

    Notes

    • I have used fresh yogurt, you can use coconut paste if you like.
    • You can cook Kuska in Arborio/medium grain rice or basmati/long grain rice for cooking Kuska.
    • If you are using coconut milk then add water accordingly, otherwise, the rice may be sticky and over-cook.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 754mg | Potassium: 265mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 446IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg

    More Indian Street Food

    • Dahi Vada or Dahi Bhalla Chaat
    • Bhel Puri Recipe
    • Jhalmuri Recipe
    • Sabudana Khichdi (Video Recipe)
    166 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • WhatsApp

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave me your feedback here please Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Jaya Roy Chowdhury

      July 26, 2020 at 3:53 pm

      5 stars
      Very useful information! Loved the recipes especially Kuska biryani! Seemed unusual and interesting! Will definitely try it out! Thankyou

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Looking For Something?

    HI! THIS IS REKHA KAKKAR

    Life is complicated so let’s keep our food simple! No this is not a quote from someone else 🙂 this actually sums up my food philosophy and why I started this food blog.

    I am Rekha, I am the Cook, writer, and photographer behind this food blog. Now a YouTuber 

    More about me →

    Popular Today

    • Methi Paratha Recipe
    • Methi Aloo Recipe
    • Palak Chole
    • Veggie Rice Recipe for Diabetics

    Soup Recipes

    • Borscht Recipe
    • Vegetable Weight Loss Soup Recipe - Pressure Cooker
    • Instant Pot Veggie and Quinoa Soup - Pressure Cooker Recipe
    • Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup 

    Immunity Boosting Teas

    • CFC Tea Recipe - Cumin Coriander Fennel Tea
    • Kadha Recipe|Indian Herbal Drink
    • Cinnamon Tea Recipe
    • Kahwa Tea Recipe - Kashmiri Tea

    Recent Posts

    • Methi Paratha Recipe
    • Methi Aloo Recipe
    • Palak Chole
    • Veggie Rice Recipe for Diabetics
    • Mizeria Salad Recipe 

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About Rekha
    • Work With Me

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Follow Along

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest

    ↑ back to top

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.