Kuska rice also known as Khusqa or Khuskha, is a simple South-Indian way of making a flavourful dish using rice, aromatics and veggies. A rice-based dish which is super rich in flavours and fragrance. For this recipe, I have used butter beans, green peas and carrots. You can add any veggies of your choice or even completely skip veggies. Check out the step-by-step picture instructions and do try it out. Let us know in the comments how it turned out.
INGREDIENTS:
- Oil- 1 cup
- Green cardamom- 2 nos
- Cloves- 2 nos
- Cinammon- 1 no (large)
- Onion- 2 cups (sliced)
- Mint leaves- 1/2 cup
- Tomatoes- 1/2 cup (roughly chopped)
- Ginger garlic paste- 2 tbsp
- Salt- to taste
- Butter beans- 1/2 cup (also known as Double beans)
- Green peas- 1/2 cup (frozen or fresh)
- Carrots- 1/2 cup (sliced)
- Rice- 2 cups (Zeeraga samba rice, washed and soaked for at-least an hour)
- Water- to cook the rice
- Chopped coriander leaves- 2 tbsp
- Green chillies- 4-5 nos
PROCEDURE:
- Pressure cook carrots, peas and double beans for a whistle, allow the pressure to release naturally. Set this aside.
- Heat oil in a wide thick-bottomed vessel, add the whole spices and allow to splutter.
- Now add sliced onions and mint leaves to it.
- Add some salt to it and allow the onions to fry until translucent.
- Now add ginger garlic paste to it and mix well. Fry for a min.
- Now add chopped tomatoes, coriander leaves and green chillies to it.
- Now add the boiled veggies to it and mix well.
- Allow to cook till the tomatoes turn mushy.
- Now add 3-4 cups of water depending on the quality of your rice. New rice requires less water to cook, whereas aged rice takes up a lot of water to cook. Allow the water to come to a rolling boil.
- Check for salt and add more if required. The water should taste a bit salty.
- Now add the soaked and drained rice and allow to cook on medium flame.
- Keep stirring gently in intervlas. Once all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked upto 90%, lower the flame and let it dum for 10 mins.
- Switch off the flame later and let it rest for 15-20 mins, before gently seperating the fluffy rice.
- Veg khuskha is ready, serve hot along with Korma or any chicken gravy of your choice.
