Perfect kuska is a Tamil rice dish, made out of vegetables, masalas that provide an ethereal blend of flavours. Traditional as it is, this biryani dish has the capacity to take on any modern day dish in terms of taste, health and easy preparedness.
As mentioned before, Perfect Kuska makes use of the most intricate of flavours found in Indian spices and pulses to create an enriching experience with every bite. Be it curd or any special curry you serve it with, this special biryani has what it takes to bring out the best in every serving. With the astute blend of flavours and the warm, crumbly texture of the basmati rice, every meal with the special Tamil Kuska ends on a memorable note.
Even though this dish has a long portfolio of flavours, it still manages to keep things healthy on the table. With most of the ingredients like bay leaf and cardamom being full of essential nutrients, the basmati helps in adding on carbohydrates and other necessary nutrients to the list. All in all, this basmati is a great meal that can be enjoyed with ease any time any day.
But don’t you worry, even though this dish deals with an arsenal of flavours, it is still quite easy to prepare. With Puviya’s special perfect Kuska recipe, you can prepare this delicacy with home-based ingredients in just 40 minutes. So what are you waiting for, get down to your kitchens and prepare this biryani today!
Watch Video Recipe Of Perfect Kuska Recipe In Tamil
Ingredients
Ingredients for Perfect Kuska
Whole Spices:
- ½ tsp shajeera (caraway seeds)
- 4 cloves
- 3 cardamoms
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 bay leaves
Main Ingredients:
- 1 glass basmati rice (soaked for 20 minutes)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 2 onions (chopped)
- 1 green chili (slit)
- 1 tomato (chopped)
- 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- ½ cup curd
- Juice of ½ lemon
Spices & Seasoning:
- 2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp mirchi (red chili) powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tbsp biryani masala
Fresh Herbs:
- ½ handful coriander leaves (chopped)
- ½ handful mint leaves (chopped)
Liquid:
- 2 glasses water
Instructions
Preparation:
- Soak Rice – Take 1 glass of basmati rice, rinse it well, and soak it in water for 20 minutes.
Cooking Process:
- Heat Oil & Ghee – In a pressure cooker, heat 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp ghee on medium flame.
- Add Whole Spices – Add ½ tsp shajeera, 4 cloves, 3 cardamoms, 2 cinnamon sticks, and 2 bay leaves. Roast until aromatic.
- Sauté Onions & Green Chili – Add 2 chopped onions and 1 slit green chili. Sauté until onions turn golden brown.
- Add Tomatoes & Ginger-Garlic Paste – Add 1 chopped tomato and 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste. Cook until the raw smell disappears.
- Spices & Herbs – Add 2 tsp salt, ¼ tsp turmeric, 2 tsp mirchi powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, and 1 tbsp biryani masala.
- Mix Curd & Lemon Juice – Add ½ cup curd and juice of ½ lemon. Stir well.
- Add Fresh Herbs – Mix in ½ handful of coriander leaves and ½ handful of mint leaves.
- Pour Water – Add 2 glasses of water and bring to a boil.
- Add Rice – Drain the soaked rice and gently mix it into the gravy. Stir carefully to avoid breaking the grains.
- Pressure Cook – Cover the lid and cook on medium heat until 2 whistles.
- Rest & Fluff – Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Serving:
-
- Enjoy your fragrant, fluffy Kuska with raita, boiled eggs, or vegetable kurma.
Nutritional Information for Perfect Kuska (Per Serving - Approximate Values)
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 250 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 30g |
| Protein | 5g |
| Fat | 12g |
| Saturated Fat | 4g |
| Cholesterol | 20mg |
| Sodium | 150mg |
| Fiber | 2g |
| Sugar | 10g |
Notes
📌 Recipe Notes:
✅ Use Aged Basmati Rice – For the best texture and aroma, use long-grain aged basmati rice and soak it for at least 20 minutes before cooking.
✅ Balance the Spices – Adjust the mirchi powder, biryani masala, and green chilies as per your spice preference.
✅ Flavor Boost – Adding a dash of rose water or kewra essence enhances the aroma and makes it more restaurant-style.
✅ Perfect Texture Tip – After cooking, let the kuska rest for 10 minutes before fluffing it with a fork to keep the grains separate.
✅ Serving Suggestion – Kuska tastes best with raita, boiled eggs, salna, or a simple vegetable kurma.
Follow these steps (Perfect Kuska Recipe In Tamil)
- Take a pressure cooker and pour 2 tablespoons full of oil in it.
- Add 2 tablespoons of ghee to the oil.
- Add ½ teaspoon Shajeera to the pressure cooker.
- Take 4 pieces of cloves, 3 cardamoms and 2 sticks of cinnamon and add them to the pressure cooker.
- Add a couple of Bay leaves to the mix.
- Roast the ingredients inside the cooker on a low flame.
- Chop up 2 average sized onions and put them inside the cooker.
- To spice up your perfect Kuska, add 1 green chilli to the mix.
- Sauté the ingredients well.
- Chop up 1 tomato and add it to the cooker.
- Add 2 teaspoons of ginger garlic paste to the mix.
- Sauté the ingredients well, once again.
- Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the pressure cooker.
- Add ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder into the mix.
- Talk half a handful of fresh coriander leaves and another half handful of mint leaves and add them to the cooker.
- Add ½ a cup of curd to the cooker followed by half a lemon’s worth lemon juice.
- Add 1 tablespoon Biryani Masala to the pressure cooker.
- Taking 2 teaspoons of mirchi powder and 1 teaspoon of coriander powder, add them to the cooker.
- Sauté the ingredients well on a low flame setting.
- The oil that we put in earlier would start to separate itself as the gravy cooks.
- Add 2 glasses of water into the pressure cooker.
- Mix it well with the gravy inside the pan.
- Soak 1 glass basmati rice for about 20 minutes and cook them to add them into the cooker.
- Mix the rice well with the gravy.
- Mix gently so as to not break any pieces of rice.
- Cover the cooker with its lid and wait for it to give out 2 whistles.
- Uncover the lid to notice that most of the water would have evaporated away.
- Transfer the partially dry rice from the cooker to a container.
- Your perfect Kuska is ready to be served.
