This yakhni pulao, also called mutton pulao features fragrant basmati rice & bone in , tender mutton pieces cooked in yakhni (spiced mutton stock). Yakhni pulao is made several different ways in indian and Pakistani cuisine. In this post, I am sharing indian style, awadhi yakhni pulao recipe which belongs to Lucknawi (oudh) cuisine from north indian part of india. For this reason, it is sometimes, also known as awadhi pulao. Indian rice dishes are pure comfort food. Be it egg pulao or vegetarian pulao recipes like mushroom pulao or soya pulao, these make for excellent one pot meal anytime. This mutton pulao recipe holds a special place in my family. During the winter season, mom used to make mutton yakhni on a regular basis. I remember she would ladle it into small glass teacups with a scatter of fresh chopped cilantro and hand over to us to drink on a cold winter evenings. This pulao recipe is a perfect choice when it comes to feeding large families or entertaining guests. The most delightful thing about it is that it tastes way better the next day, thus allowing you to prepare it a day in advance for your upcoming party.
About Yakhni
Quite simply,Yakhni = Stock or Broth. Yakhni is believed to have roots in the middle east and it slowly made its way along the silk route to Asia. In Indian cuisine, yakhni refers to dishes with lot of liquid- either a light curry or soup. It is either made by slow boiling meat or bone in chicken together with spices, herbs and alliums like onions & garlic.In Kashmiri yakhni, yogurt and saffron is added giving it a unique tangy flavor. South asian meat stocks have amazing depth of flavor due to use of spices. The key is slow boiling the fresh meat. I don’t pressure cook the meat, I let it simmer for couple of hours or more depending on the quantity. Slowly, the meat renders its fat and flavor (juices) into the water. This delicious liquid (yakhni) is warming and perfect for sipping on its own. On the same lines, here’s a very simple recipe of chicken shorba soup made with bone in chicken that I serve as soup. Delicately spiced and fragrant, yakhni has robust flavors. In my family recipe, no powdered spices are used when making yakhni. All the flavor comes from whole spices, dried chilies, ginger and garlic. You can also use this recipe for making just the yakhni if you wish.
About Yakhni Pulao
Pulao = Rice Dish. Instead of water, we are going to use use yakhni for cooking the rice and meat togther. The aromatic spices used for making yakhni set the base of flavor of the pulao. In my mutton yakhni recipe, the prounced notes are that of woody black cardamom, cumin and cloves. All over india, different regions have their own recipes with slight variations. For example, they use short grain gobindbhog rice in bengali cuisine instead of basmati rice. The kashmiri version of yakhni pulao has a licorice flavor from use of fennel seeds.
What is Difference between Biryani, Yakhni Pulao & Regular Pulao
Mutton biryani is a layered rice dish. In pakki biryani the meat is cooked separately and the rice is par boiled. Then they are layered in a large vessel (deg or handi) along with fried onions (birista), fresh gren herbs, lemon slices,etc. Everything cooks together in a sealed pot via a technique called dumpukht (or cooking in own juices). In pulao, unlike biryani, rice and meat cook together without layering. The spices are milder and usually there are no fried onions. Soaked basmati rice simply cooks togther with meat or chicken till the rice has absorbed the liquid and the grains become fluffy. Yakhni pulao differs from a regular pulao in that instead of adding water to cook the rice, we cook the rice in yakhni.
Ingredients (Notes)
Bone-in Mutton or Goat Meat - For a delicious yakhni, bone in meat is a must. Most of the flavor of yakhni comes from bones because we don’t go heavy handed on spices. If you are using chicken - use bone in dark meat pieces or skin less whole chicken cut up. For bone in lamb, make sure that the meat is from shoulder or leg portions. Whole Spices - cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, black peppercorns, bay leaves, black cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg. Fresh Ginger & Garlic Onions - I prefer using red onions, however yellow onions will work fine too. Long Grain Basmati Rice. I use extra long grain aged basmati rice (easily available in Costco). If you are purchasing from indian stores, you may choose brands like Laxmi Foods, Tilda, Dawaat or India Gate Basmati rice. Frankly any good quality basmati rice will work in this recipe. Oil - Or you can use Ghee. However, keep in mind that yakhni is quite rich in itself due to the fat rendering from meat, ghee will make the pulao quite heavy.
How To Make Yakhni Pulao(Step Photos)
The process of making Yakhni Pulao involves two main steps.
Step 1:- Make The Yakhni
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.
Step:-2 Cook The Rice in Yakhni
Tips for Fluffy Rice
More Recipe Tips
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. Don’t 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. 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.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with boondi raita and kachumber salad for a fresh bite. You could also add a small bowl of green chutney on the side. I also serve shami kebabs with mutton pulao for a feast on special occasions.
