- Submitted by Dahlia
(Khushka Biryani, Plain Kusqa Biryani, Kuska Biriyani)
It was a lazy weekend during my good old spinster days. I watched a movie all night in my PG room and woke up around 10 a:m. My tummy pinched me for food. In my PG, food was not provided during weekends but we were allowed to use the kitchen and cook ourselves. I wanted to cook something special that day and so I started going through my cooking diary. One of my PG friends just peeped inside the room and suggested making 'Kuska Biryani'.
I had never heard about “kuska Biryani” nor eaten it before. My friend Gayathri said Kuska Biryani is a plain biryani veriety that doesn’t contain chicken pieces. Chicken stock is used instead to cook the rice which enhances its taste. It pairs up well with any non-veg or vegetarian gravies. It can be made for lunch boxes, for weekend meal or even for guest. She said her mom cooks it so well and immediately called her mom to get the recipe.
Some more PG mates peeped in and they too joined the team. As more amount has to be cooked, we divided the work. Couple of people went to buy the chicken and two others started chopping the other ingredients. We deceided to prepare chicken kurma as a side dish for Kuska Biryani. We worked as a team to complete the delicious project. Some girls helped clean up while others were busy documenting the recipe for further references. Atlast after about an hour of work, yummy tasty Kuska Biryani was all set before us with a side dish. The girls had also got Bovonta which we served with the plateful of Khuska Briyani and Chicken Kurma. The recipe came out so well. It had then become a regular practice of trying out new recipes during weekends or when we had a day off in office. We almost stopped going to restaurants for eating.
Kuska Biryani filled our appetite and in the evening we went for shopping to a nearby mall. Those days in the PG have so many fun filled memories. But these cooking times helped me to earn a good name in my in laws house after marriage. Even today whenever I prepare plain Kuska Biryani, I remember that day with my PG friends.That day we worked as a team. Now I work alone in the kitchen to bring a smile in my family’s faces.
Well, enough of my stories. Without delay let me get to the recipe.
Recipe For Khuska Biryani
Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients
- Basmati Rice - 2 cups (soaked for at least 10 minutes and drained)
- Onions - 2 (chopped)
- Tomato - 1 (chopped)
- Green Chillies - 5-6 (chopped)
- Ginger garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
- Coconut Milk diluted with water - 1.5 cups
- Chicken Stock - 1.5 cup
- Yogurt - 1/2 cup
- Mint Leaves (Pudhina) - handful
- Cilantro (Coriander Leaves) - handful
- Whole Garam Masala - (2 Bay Leaf, 4 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 Cardamom, 1 Star Anise)
- Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
- Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp (crushed)
- Saffron Strands - 2 pinches (you could also use kesari powder or orange food colour instead)
- Ghee or Oil - 3 tbsp
- Salt - as needed
Method
- Heat the oil or ghee in a pan and add the whole garam masala to it. Splutter the cumin seeds and fennel seeds.
- Saute the onions and green chillies for 10 minutes followed by ginger garlic paste for another 1 minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, finely chopped cilantro and mint leaves and cook for few minutes.
- Add the yogurt, coconut milk, chicken stock and salt. Store bought chicken stock can be used or you can make it at home with some bony pieces. If you do not have any chicken on hand, just use water instead.
- After the liquid boils, add the soaked rice and bring it to a boil once again.
- Reduce the flame to low, cover and cook till the rice is completely done. (app. 25 minutes)
- Soak the saffron strands in 1 tblsp of milk and drizzle it over the cooked rice.
- Fluff up the rice with a fork, garnish with chopped cilantro, fried onions or chopped nuts. Khuska Biryani is ready to serve.
Serving Kuska Biryani
- Serve with some spicy curry and raita. This dish goes well with any kind of sidedish.
Tips
- You could also transfer the ingredients to a pressure cooker(2 whistles) or rice cooker and cook it.
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