Plain Biryani Recipe | Kuska Biryani Recipe | Hotel Style Kuska Recipe

Plain Biryani or Kuska Biryani is popular in Tamil Nadu Non-Vegetarian Hotels & Restaurants. We never knew that Kuska is not a vegetarian Recipe, since in Hotels they use Meat or Chicken Broth to Make Kuska or sometimes they serve Chicken Biryani or Mutton Biryani without pieces. Then one we happened to saw a piece of meat on our plain biryani pack and from that time we stopped buying it during Saturdays. Plain Biryani/Kuska is prepared using Small grain rice, Seeraga Samba Rice which gives unique aroma and taste to the biryani. The Kuska prepared using the below method gives almost the Hotel style taste and flavor. I have tried with Seeraga Sambar rice but that time I didn't get time to take pictures. Later, I couldn't find Seeraga Samba rice even in Patel Brothers. So, I used Basmati Rice. This is a flavor rich one pot meal that requires Chicken or Meat Broth(I used Chicken Broth), Yogurt, Coconut Milk and mild spices blend. If you are a Biryani Addict, then for a change try this Plain Biryani and enjoy it with some Spicy Chicken Fry & Mutton Kurma.

Kuska (Plain) Biryani Recipe

Prep Time : 20 Minutes | Cook Time : 25 Minutes

Recipe Category : Main Course

Serves  5-6

Ingredients

1. Rice 2 cups
2. Pearl Onion 8-10(whole) or 
3. Red Onion  1 medium(roughly chopped)
4. Curd/Yogurt,beaten  1/2 cup
5. Coconut Milk  1/2 cup(optional, use water instead)
6. Chicken or Meat Broth 3 cup
7. Lemon Juice 2 tsp
8. Mint Leaves a handful chopped
9. Coriander Leaves a handful chopped
10. Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp
11. Red Chilly Powder 1 tsp
12. Salt to taste

To Grind Coarsely

1. Ginger 2 tbsp(chopped)
2. Garlic  8 fat cloves(chopped)
3. Green Chilly 3-4 nos
4. Cloves 5-8 nos
5. Cinnamon 2"
6. Cardamon 1 no(optional)

To Temper

1. Ghee 1-2 tsp
2. Oil   2 tbsp
3. Cardamom  2 no.s
4. Maratti Mokku   2 no.s
5. Bay leaf   1 or 2

Method

• First prepare Chicken or mutton broth by boiling meat/chicken pieces with 3-4 cups of water. Once the chicken is cooked drain the broth and use the Chicken pieces to make Chicken Chukka Varuval, like I did.
• Then In a Mixer Jar, add green chilli, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, clove, cardamom and blend it fine coarse(add 1-2 tbsp water if needed), then add pearl onion or chopped red onion
• and pulse it for few seconds and keep aside.
• Beat Curd and extract coconut milk(if using).
• Now heat oil and ghee in a stock pot or pressure cooker, when it is hot add tempering ingredients and fry well.
• Then add the coarsely ground onion-ginger-chilli spice paste and saute in medium heat until raw smell leaves.
• After that add chilli powder, turmeric powder, some mint leaves and saute well.
• And then add beaten yogurt, coconut milk, chicken broth, lemon juice, enough salt and stir well.
• Add remaining mint leaves and cilantro bring it to boil.
• Once it starts boiling add the soaked and drianed rice, stir well and cook till done.
• Finally add little ghee and cilantro, fluff the rice. That's it..Kuska Biryani Ready. I served with Onion Raita & Chicken Chukka Varuval.

Notes:
Adding coconut milk is optional instead of coconut milk use water or chicken broth.
For 2 cups of rice, I used 4 cups of liquid - 3 cups of broth, 1/2 cup curd and 1/2 cup coconut milk.
I recommend to wash and soak the rice for minimum 15-20 minutes before cooking.
I used red onion, you can also grind ginger,garlic,green chilli, cinnamon, clove separately and pulse the onion separately.
If so, first add ginger-green chili mix in the oil, saute well and then add coarsely ground onion.
Do not use onion paste, just pulse it 2 or 3 times, that's enough.
For vegetarian version, instead of chicken broth you can also use plain water or Vegetable Broth.
Also , for vegetarian version increase yogurt to 1 cup and other liquids accordingly.
If you want, reddish orange color like the hotel kuska, add 2 pinches of orange food color along with curd. I did not use any artificial color. I will update the step by step pictures soon.