Indian cooking
Indian cooking / Dishes / Khuska
Khuska (Plain Boiled Rice)

Khuska

Plain Boiled Rice
VegetarianOrigin Awadh/HyderabadPrep 15 minutesCook 45 minutes

Fluffy, perfectly separated basmati rice gently finished in its own steam for a light and tender texture.

Ingredients

01
Basmati rice · Basmati Chawalrinsed and drained
1000 g
grain
02
Salt · Namak
6 g1 teaspoon
salt

Method

  1. Bring 3 litres of water to a vigorous boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot.
  2. Add 1000 g basmati rice and 5.8 g salt, give the pot a good stir, then cover with a lid and boil for 12 to 15 minutes until the grains are nearly tender but retain a firm bite at the centre.
  3. Drain the rice through a fine colander or sieve, then tip the grains back into the pot.
  4. Splash 125 ml of water over the rice, stir briefly to loosen the grains, and drain thoroughly a second time.
  5. Transfer the rice back into the pot, wrap a clean tea towel securely around and underneath the lid to trap condensation, and set the lid firmly in place.
  6. Set the pot over a hotplate or griddle over low heat—or place directly over the lowest flame—and let the rice steam undisturbed for about 30 minutes until fully tender.

Don't have something?

Basmati rice
  • Plain boiled rice

    Use 2.5 times the weight if substituting pre-cooked rice. Fold in gently at the end of the recipe; grains will be shorter and less fragrant.

Similar dishes

Basic Rice Recipe
Basic Rice Recipe tastes mild and clean with separate, fluffy grains, like this dish, and neither ingredient list includes spices, fat, or a souring agent.
  • Same: Basic Rice Recipe shares basmati rice, salt, and a plain, fluffy, separated-grain style with this dish.
  • Different: Basic Rice Recipe uses 300 g basmati rice and an absorption method that steams the rice dry without draining, while this dish lists 1000 g basmati rice and 5.8 g salt and is finished in its own steam.
Plain Rice
Plain Rice is clean and mild like this dish but less salty and simply steamed, with tender separate grains.
  • Same: Plain Rice shares basmati rice and salt with this dish, and both aim for tender, separate grains.
  • Different: Plain Rice lists water and much smaller amounts of rice and salt, while this dish lists only rice and salt and says it finishes in its own steam.
Sada Chaawal
Steamed Rice
Sada Chaawal has a slightly richer mouthfeel from the oil, while this dish has a completely clean, neutral rice flavor.
  • Same: Sada Chaawal also uses basmati rice seasoned with salt and cooked until the grains are fluffy and separate.
  • Different: Sada Chaawal includes vegetable oil during cooking, whereas this dish is prepared without any fat.
Pilau Rice
Pilau Rice tastes warm and aromatic from cumin and bay, while this dish tastes light and plain with only salt.
  • Same: Pilau Rice shares basmati rice and a fluffy, separate-grain result with this dish.
  • Different: Pilau Rice adds ghee, cumin seed and Indian bay leaf, while this dish uses only rice and salt and has no fat, spices or souring agent.