Authentic Mutton Yakhni Pulao (Mutton Pulao)
Mutton Yakhni Pulao or mutton pulao is a classic meat and rice comfort dish made with long grain basmati rice & bone in mutton pieces cooked in delicately spiced mutton stock.
Ingredients
For Yakhni (Stock)
- 1.1 lb (~500g) mutton or goat meat or lamb (bone in)
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 6 cloves
- 12 black peppercorn
- 2 large bay leaf
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 black cardamom
- ½ nutmeg
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2 inch ginger
- 8-12 dried red chilli adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cup water
For The Pulao
- 1.25 cup basmati rice
- 5 tablespoon oil
- 1.5 cup onion sliced (from 1 large onion)
- 1 teaspoon shahi jeera
- 2.5 cup yakhni + water (yakhni topped with water)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Cilantro, Ginger Julinnes garnish
Instructions
Make the Yakhni
- Start by gathering the whole spices. Roughly chop the onions. Peel the garlic cloves and roughly chop the ginger. If you wish, you can tie everything in a cheesecloth or clean muslin bag (bouquet garni). This is not necessary, my mom never did and neither do I. Once we strain the yakhni, it takes barely 1 minute to separate the meat pieces.
- Add the meat, spices, onion, garlic and ginger to a large pot (I use my dutch oven). Cover with water. Add salt. Set the pot on stove and bring it to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low (not very low), cover and let the the meat simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours. This cooking time will depend on how big or small your meat pieces are. Make sure that the meat is tender at the end of simmering but not falling apart.Note :- You can do this in an instant pot or pressure cooker but slow cooked yakhni is something else. For reference, both for pressure cooker and IP high pressure cook for 12-15 minutes.
- While yakhni is cooking, wash rice a few times under running water until water runs clear. Soak rice in excess water for 30 minutes. You can manage time and soak rice while the yakhni is nearing completion.
- Place a soup strainer over a large bowl. After 10 minutes or so, open the pot/cooker and strain the yakhni. Don't mash the ginger, onion or garlic or spices, it will make the yakhni cloudy. Using tongs or spoons, pick up the meat pieces on to a plate and immediately cover the meat with cling film or a plate, this makes sure that the meat doesn't dry out.
- Yakhni is ready. You can enjoy it as it like a soup when while it is warm with few squirts of lemon and scatter of fresh cilantro. Add a few pieces of cooked meat to make it more filling. If you are making pulao, follow steps below.
- Measure the yakhni. Make sure that it is enough to cook the rice. The variety of rice I use needs double amount of liquid to cook. If yakhni is less, top it with water.
Make the Mutton Pulao
- You can use the same pot or dutch oven to make the pulao. Return it to stove and add the oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onions. Fry onions for 8-10 minutes till they are golden brown. The color of your rice/pulao will depend on the color of the onions. Dont rush this process.
- Then, add the meat pieces to the caramelized onions, red chilli powder and stir along with onions for 2-3 minutes. You will see that the meat will start browning from edges.
- Then, add the drained and soaked rice and the yakhni. Add a tablespoon ghee (if you wish). Mix and then taste the salt.It should taste sharp salty right now, this will make sure that the pulao will come out well seasoned. You could also add a few green chilies at this stage.
- Cover the pot and let boil on high heat. Once bubbling, reduce to low medium heat and let cook for 20-25 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is soft. Switch off the stove and let the pot sit undisturbed for at least 10-12 minutes.
- Fluff the rice gently, I like to use a small plate and start fluffing from the side of the pot. Garnish with cilantro, fried onions, ginger julienne etc and serve.
Notes
- Give it Time - A delicious yakhni needs time for flavors to develop. Don't rush the process.
- Bone In Meat- Use bone in meat or chicken for making yakhni. I use lamb shoulder, goat leg or chicken dark meat portions- bone in things or drumsticks. Remove the skin from chicken before using.
- Avoid Fatty Meat- Use trimmed meat for making yakhni. We want to make a yakhni that is rich, however we dont want fat floating on top. See the photo above of yakhni for reference.
- Dont cook in advance- Dont make the yakhni a day before, the taste is not the same. However, you can make it a few hours (4-6 hours) ahead. If you are making ahead, always strain it and store the yakhni and meat pieces separately.
- Basmati Rice- Use good quality basmati rice. These days brown basmati rice is also available in stores but any kind of brown rice is not suitable for making this recipe so please avoid.
- Use Whole Spices - Make sure you use at least 5 kinds of whole spices and skip any you do not have in your cabinet, the yakhni will taste good, I promise.
- Caramelize Onions - Brown the onions slowly. The color and caramelization of onions contributes a lot to the taste of pulao.
- If you are making the yakhni for serving as soup, reduce the quantity of chilies. Do check out this recipe of chicken shorba if you love desi style clear soups.
- Taste the yakhni before adding it to rice. It should taste sharp and salty, this will make sure that the pulao will have good seasoning.
- Don't use un soaked rice. Soak it for at least 15 -20 minutes.
- Don't skimp on oil when cooking pulao else the rice will be sticky.
- Once the rice has finished cooking, wait for 8- 10 minutes before fluffing. Fluff using a fat wide rice spatula or a small plate from side.
- Don't spoon yakhni pulao from the center of the pot, the warm and soft rice will break.
Nutrition
Calories: 417kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 6gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 892mgPotassium: 251mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 87IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 2mg
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