Kuska Rice and Boneless chicken biriyani | Learn how to make plain biriyani rice and boneless Chicken Biriyani

I am back with another biriyani recipe. The chicken biriyani that I made before was with chicken on bone cooked in dum style. Today I tried boneless version without dum cooking. I was trying to replicate my childhood favorite rice item Kuska Rice from my father's hotel. It's nothing but plain biriyani rice.  Me and my sisters loved to eat this kuska rice with sherva (Plain Savji curry). In the hotel they used keep the Kuska rice ready and prepare chicken/Egg/Mutton or Veg biriyani with it as and when the order was placed.

So this Kuska rice came out really well and it had all the flavors of a good biriyani. Then I thought of making a chicken masala and preparing biriyani with it. I had some boneless chicken in store so out came this delicious chicken masala and the biriyani! It tasted just like the famous Meghana Boneless Biriyani. My family loved it. This has all the qualities to be out next family favorite dish:) I have noted down the recipe to make Kuska Rice and the boneless chicken biriyani with it. You can replace it with chicken on bone. It was just another pefect Biriyani :) Please read on for the recipe.

Kuska Rice /Plain Biriyani rice recipe: 
Ingredients:

Rice: 3 cups

Green chillies: 4-5

Onion: 3

Ghee/Oil: 3 tbsp

Caraway seeds (shahijeera): 1 tsp

Cardamom pods: 3-4

Clove: 4

Cinnamon stick: 1

Bay leaf: 1

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp

Yogurt/curd : 1/2 cup

Chopped coriander and mint leaves: 1 fistful

Salt to taste
Safrron: 1 pinch
Rose water: 1 tbsp (Optional)
Kewra Water: 1 tbsp (Optional)

Preparation:

1. Wash and soak rice in enough water for 30 mins

2. Thinly slice onion, slit green chillies, chop coriander and mint leaves.

3. Soak saffron in 2 tbsp of warm milk or water.

Method:

1. Heat ghee/oil in a thick bottomed wok, add caraway seeds and whole garam masalas - clove, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf. Sauté until the ghee is fragrant.

2. Add thinly sliced onion and fry until onion turns to golden brown and crispy.

3. Now remove 2 tbsp of fried onions and keep it for garnishing. Add ginger garlic paste and green chillies, sauté until the raw smell disappears.

4. Add beaten yogurt, salt, chopped mint and coriander leaves and mix well. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

5. Add soaked rice and fry it for 2-3 minutes. Add 4.5 cups of water (1.5 cups for 1 cup of rice)

6. When it starts boiling cover with the tight lid and cook until the water on top is dried.

7. Open the lid sprinkle 1 tsp of rose water and kewra water and saffron milk  and put the lid back and keep it on low flame for 15 mins and turn of the flame.

8. Allow it to cool for 10 mins, open the lid and mix the rice up slowly without breaking it.

Garnish with fried onions and the rice is ready. You can serve it some spicy gravy of your choice or make biriyani with it. Read on to to know how to make boneless chicken biriyani.

Boneless Chicken Masala for Biriyani:

For Marinade:

Lemon Juice: 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder: 2 tsp
Turmeric: 1/2tsp
Coriander powder: 2 tsp
Cumin powder: 1 tsp
Biriyani powder: 2 tsp
Egg: 1
Corn Flour: 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Boneless chicken cubes: 500 gms

In a large mixing bowl add all the items listed for marinade and mix well. Add boneless chicken pieces and mix. Keep it refrigerated for 2 hours.

For chicken masala:

Ingredients:
Ghee: 5-6 tbsp.
Cashews: 10-12
Onion: 2
Green chillies: 2
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tbsp
Mint and coriander leaves: 3 tbsp

Yogurt: 1 cup
salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat ghee in a pan and fry cashews until golden brown, remove and keep aside.

2. To the remaining ghee, add sliced onions and fry until golden brown, add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell disappears.

4. Add slit green chillies, salt, coriander and mint leaves saute for a while.

5. Mix in marinated chicken and fry for 5-6 minutes. Add a cup of beaten yogurt and cook until the chicken is done. It shouldn't be too dry, should be of thick gravy consistency. Add a little water if required.

6. Squeeze in lemon juice and the chicken masala is ready to go!

Serving:
1. In a serving bowl, add the plain biriyani rice and top it up with chicken masala and garnish with fried cashews, fried onions, chopped mint and coriander leaves. Serve hot with yogurt raita.

Notes:
1. Do not over cook the rice, Biriyani rice grains should be separated in a good biriyani :) you can add orange food coloring if you like the rice to be colorful.

2. Adding rose water/Kewra water is optional but recommended as it really brings the biriyani flavor out.

3. You can adjust the chicken masala according to your taste, you can add tomato puree or also can add 2 tbsp cream to make the gravy rich.

Please click here to know how to make biriyani powder.--> Fresh Biriyani Powder in a Jiffy