Biryani Rice (Kuska Rice) is a flavorful Indian dish made with basmati rice and a blend of aromatic whole spices, onions, and herbs. It is a simple one-pot rice without meat or vegetables.
Also, check out our popular chicken biryani and classic veg biryani recipe.
Biryani Rice
Unlike traditional biryani, Kuska Rice has no meat or vegetables, making it ideal to serve with chicken curry, gravies, vegetable dishes, kurma, salan, salads, or raitas. Make it for weeknights or festive dinners like Eid, Diwali, or Christmas to bring South Indian Biryani flavor to your kitchen.
Why will you love this kuska rice?
- Ready in under 30 minutes.
- Light yet filled with biryani flavors.
- Easy one-pot dish.
- Great alternative to vegetable biryani or pulao.
- Perfect with any curry, gravy, raita, or salan.
Ingredients
Whole spices: Bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and cumin. Add mace or star anise for more aroma. Use minimally for deep biryani flavor.
Rice: Prefer long-grain basmati rice for the best results.
Fat: Use ghee, oil, or butter as desired.
Onions: Provide a sweet, caramelized base.
Tomatoes: Add mild tang and keep rice moist with a light masala coating.
Spice powders: Red chile, garam masala, and turmeric powder.
Herbs: Coriander and mint (pudina) add a fresh aroma.
Lemon juice or yogurt enhances flavor.
Check out the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.
Stovetop pot or pan method
- Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a pan or pot. Add whole spices and cashews, and sauté until aromatic and the cashews become light in color.
- Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for about 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes, red chile powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, mint, coriander leaves, and mix well.
- Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
- Drain the water from the basmati rice, then add it along with salt and hot water, and mix well. Taste and adjust salt and spices at this stage.
- Once this comes to a boil, cover and cook on medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked.
- Fluff the rice with a fork.
For the Indian stovetop pressure cooker, use 1 ¾ cups of water for 1 cup of basmati rice. Place the whistle (weight) on the pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle on medium flame. Open the lid once the pressure drops and fluff the rice.
For the Instant Pot method, press the Sauté button. Add oil to the steel insert and follow the same steps as given above for the pot method. Use 1 ¼ cups of water with the rice, deglaze the pot, and pressure-cook on high for 5 minutes. Let the pressure drop for 5 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
Tips
- Use long-grain basmati rice for the best results.
- Use at least one herb for flavor.
- Do not overcook the rice.
- Use yogurt or lemon juice for freshness and balance.
- Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days. Reheat with splashes of water to keep the rice moist.
Variations
- Egg kuska rice: Add boiled eggs on top of the rice.
- Spicy kuska rice: Add green chilies or more red chile powder.
- Vegetable kuska rice: Add veggies like peas, carrots, beans, mushrooms, etc.
Serving suggestions
Kuska rice or biryani rice can be paired with many dishes, such as raita and salad. Some of the popular pairings include
- chicken curry
- white chicken gravy
- egg curry
- mutton salan
- vegetable kurma
- chicken korma
- onion raita, cucumber raita
Recipe FAQs
Kuska rice is plain biryani rice without meat or vegetables.
Aged basmati rice is best and most preferred while making any variety of biryani. It helps absorb flavors better.
More biryani recipes
Recipe card
Biryani Rice Recipe | Kuska Rice
Equipment
- Pot or Pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 2 tablespoon Oil ghee, or butter
- 1 tablespoon Cashews
- 1 Onion thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- 1 Tomato finely chopped
- ¾ teaspoon Red chile powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam masala biryani masala, or Kitchen King
- 2 tablespoon Curd yogurt
- 1 to 2 tablespoon Mint leaves pudina, chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoon Cilantro coriander leaves, chopped
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups of Hot water for cooking in a pan or pot on the stovetop
Whole Spices
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1- inch cinnamon stick
- 3 Cardamom
- 3 Cloves
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
Instructions
Stovetop pot or pan method
- Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 20 to 30 minutes.1 cup Basmati rice
- Heat oil in a pan or pot. Add whole spices and cashews, and sauté until aromatic and the cashews become light in color.2 tablespoon Oil, 1 tablespoon Cashews, 1 Bay leaf, 1- inch cinnamon stick, 3 Cardamom, 3 Cloves, 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.1 Onion
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for about 1 minute.1 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- Add tomatoes, red chile powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, yogurt, mint, coriander leaves, and mix well.1 Tomato, ¾ teaspoon Red chile powder, ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon Garam masala, 2 tablespoon Curd, 1 to 2 tablespoon Mint leaves, 1 to 2 tablespoon Cilantro
- Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
- Drain the water from the basmati rice, then add it along with salt and hot water, and mix well. Taste and adjust salt and spices at this stage.½ to ¾ teaspoon Salt, 2 cups of Hot water
- Once this comes to a boil, cover and cook on medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked.
- Fluff the rice with a fork.
- For the Indian stovetop pressure cooker, use 1 ¾ cups of water for 1 cup of basmati rice. Place the whistle (weight) on the pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle on medium flame. Open the lid once the pressure drops and fluff the rice.
- For the Instant Pot method, press the Sauté button. Add oil to the steel insert and follow the same steps as given above for the pot method. Use 1 ¼ cups of water with the rice, deglaze the pot, and pressure-cook on high for 5 minutes. Let the pressure drop for 5 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
Video
Notes
- Use long-grain basmati rice for the best results.
- Use at least one herb for flavor.
- Do not overcook the rice.
- Use yogurt or lemon juice for freshness and balance.
- Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days. Reheat with splashes of water to keep the rice moist.
Nutrition
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Gary Kaetzel says
I was thinking that I could use the Instant Pot to make this and that's what I'll do! I'll add some chicken to it after pressure cooking, though. Not mocking the vegetarianism of this but chicken goes well with Biryani! When I make this I will of course post on my page, and the Instant Pot Community page with a link back to this recipe!
Lex B says
This was so yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Eva says
Oh wow, I cannot get over the flavor in this rice. I cannot wait to make it again. Thank you.
Rachana says
😋