India's love for biryani has floated many variations of the rice dish in every region. The iconic biryani traverses through boundaries and is subjected to different twists, but its essence remains intact. While we are used to layered biryani cooked dum-style with meat or veggies, we found a biryani recipe that uses none of these techniques. Yet it tastes delicious and is one of the most popular meals of the masses in south India. We are talking about Kuska Biryani. The word 'kuska' is derived from Urdu word 'khushk', which means 'dry'. The name of the dish implies that it is a drier version of biryani. But what makes it so popular is the fact that it can be cooked in no time and still provides a tasty meal on our plate.
Also referred to as empty biryani/MT-biryani, kuska biryani contains all the biryani essentials - quality rice grains, whole spices like bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and black peppercorns, along with curd and herbs. Just veggies and meats are missing, and to compensate that, people pair this biryani with salan, gravy or raita.
So, if you are craving the flavours of biryani and have no time to invest in its making, try this quick and easy kuska biryani recipe.
South Indian Kuska Biryani Recipe I How To Make South Indian-Style Kuska Biryani:
You have to follow almost the same process of cooking regular biryani minus the addition of veggies and meats, and you also get to save the tiresome process of layering the ingredients. In this recipe, we are using vegetable stock to cook the biryani, but south Indians also use meat stock or coconut milk in its place. The choice is really yours.
Click here for the step-by-step recipe of kuska biryani.
After you have par-boiled your rice after soaking it for some time, drain the water and keep it aside. Meanwhile, saute all your whole spices in ghee, add ginger-garlic paste, sliced onions and saute till brown. Then add tomatoes and spice powder like salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder and a pinch of turmeric powder. When tomatoes are cooked through, add some curd and mix well. Then add water and let it come to a boil. Post that, add the boiled rice, cook everything for some more time, and your south Indian-style plain biryani is ready.
If you love to eat decadent food but are too lazy to spend hours in the kitchen, this biryani recipe is perfect for you.