Mutton Yakhni Pilaf

Name: Mutton Yakhni Pilaf
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: For the Yakhni Potli; 1 1/2 tbsp rose petals; 2 medium sized onions quartered; 16-18 garlic cloves; 2 inch ginger; 8-9 elaichi pods; 2 star anise; 8-10 cloves; 2 flower of mace; 3 inch cinnamon sticks; 2 tbsp coriander seed; 7 cups water; 1 tsp sugar; 1 kg mutton; 900 GMs basmati rice; 1 cup yogurt; 2 green chillies; 2-3 bay leaves; 3 onions finely sliced; 1/4 cup birista; 1 tsp garam masala powder; 1 lemon juice; 1 pinch saffron soaked in 1/4 th cup milk; 150 gms ghee or oil; to taste Salt; 6 cups Yakhni stock

Debyanee Ghosh @cook_24211016

Yakhni Pulao or Lucknowi Mutton Pulao is significantly a traditional pulao recipe preparation of long grain basmati rice cooked aromatic spiced mutton stock, meat and saffron. The mutton yakhni pulao recipe originating from the land of nawabs, ‘Lucknow or Awadh’ is a signature dish popular across the North India precisely UP during occasions like Eid, or weddings.
What Is Yakhni Pulao?

Yakhni is supposedly the stock of the meat with few aromatic spices. The meat i.e. the Chicken or the Mutton or the Lamb, is boiled with the ingredients in a bouquet garnii. The potli i.e. the bouquet garni in which we wrap with the aromatic spices are put into a pressure cooker along with the meat. Boil everything together until meat cooks to the right texture.

However, the traditional method of making yakhni stock says, the boiling of meat along with the spices in a copper handi. But, as you will find the time crunch, pressure cook methods works best.

Debyanee Ghosh @cook_24211016

However, the traditional method of making yakhni stock says, the boiling of meat along with the spices in a copper handi. But, as you will find the time crunch, pressure cook methods works best.

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Ingredients

For the Yakhni Potli
1 1/2 tbsprose petals
2medium sized onions quartered
3/4 tbspfennel seeds
1 tbspjeera
16-18garlic cloves
2 inchginger
8-9elaichi pods
2star anise
8-10cloves
2flower of mace
3 inchcinnamon sticks
2 tbspcoriander seed
7 cupswater
1 tspsugar
For the mutton Yakhni pulao
1 kgmutton
900 GMsbasmati rice
1 cupyogurt
2green chillies
2-3bay leaves
3onions finely sliced
1/4 cupbirista
1 tspgaram masala powder
1lemon juice
1 pinchsaffron soaked in 1/4 th cup milk
150 gmsghee or oil
to tasteSalt
6 cupsYakhni stock

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Steps

1

Firstly, clean and soak the long grain basmati rice for at least 30 minutes. Usually, I soak it for 45 minutes for better results
2

While the rice is soaking, add a pinch of saffron in 1/4 cup of milk and set aside.
3

To Make Yakhni (Mutton Stock):
To start with, take a clean clean muslin cloth, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and all the ingredients for potli (bouquet garni).
4

Now, tie it well with the string to secure all the whole spices into it to form a potli.
5

Then, put the potli in a pressure cooker along with the cleaned and wahsed mutton and 7 cups of water. Add some salt, put it on the heat and bring it to a boil. Once the it starts boiling, pressure cook until the mutton is just done. DO NOT over – cook
6

Now, once the mutton is done, allow it to release the pressure to its own. Carefully, separate the mutton pieces and the Yakhni stock (mutton stock). Also, squeeze the potli very well in to the stock to extract all the flavours of spices. Discard the potli.
7

To Make Yakhni Pulao:
To begin with, heat ghee in Handi or pan.
8

Once the ghee is hot, add bay leaves and fry for few seconds. Add sliced onions and fry until they start picking up golden color. Add green chilies slit and fry for another few seconds.
9

Now, add boiled mutton and gently sauté it on high heat for another 2-3 minutes. Then, add salt and whisked yoghurt and mix. Cook for a minute.
10

Now, drain the water from the rice. Then, add rice and mix gently. Then, add the yakhni (mutton stock) counting to the exact 6 ½ cups. If the Yakhni is less in amount then add some water along with yakhni but should be 6 ½ cups in total. For the reason that we are adding a cup of curd, it will also add the liquid to pulao, so we are adding 6& 1/2 cups of yakhni stock ONLY. Lastly, add garam masala powder, lemon juice, kewra essence/water and mix, bring it to a boil.
11

Once it starts boiling, allow it to cook on high heat until 90% water dries up. Now, pour the saffron soaked milk over the rice. Cover the pot with foil and put it on Dum for 15 minutes. And it’s ready to be served with your favourite Raita.