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Yakhni Pulao Recipe | Famous Mutton Yakhni Pulao
Yakhni Pulao Recipe: Our easy-to-follow mutton yakhni pulao recipe shows you how to make this famously delicate and flavoursome rice and meat dish at home with minimum fuss and muss.
In this signature Awadhi gosht yakhni pulao originating in the kitchens of the nawabs of Lucknow, succulent and tender pieces of mutton and long-grained basmati rice are cooked in mutton stock and a carefully selected blend of aromatic whole spices. The result is a delicious, fragrant yakhni pulao, with perfectly cooked grains of rice, each one separate and fluffy and coated evenly with the yakhni (mutton broth) and ghee.
Aromatic spices are the essence of this easy yakhni pulao recipe. The enticing fragrance of cinnamon, clove, black and green cardamom, black peppercorn, bay leaf (tej patta), and cumin will not only fill your kitchen but will also perfume your entire house.
For guaranteed results, choose the finest quality of meat (20% fat and 80% lean) – we use cuts of shoulder and neck, the best basmati rice, and the freshest whole spices.
In the traditional method, the mutton is boiled along with the whole spices in a copper handi. But the handy pressure cooker works best for today’s busy cook who will give thanks for this one-pot wonder dish. Not only is this best yakhni pulao recipe, mouth-watering and yummy, sure to be a hit with family and guests, it is also fairly simple to make.
Variations of yakhni pulao include chicken yakhni pulao, vegetable yakhni pulao, and even paneer yakhni pulao. There are also regional variations. Yakhni in a slightly different form (yogurt based) is an integral part of Kashmiri cuisine, as well as Pakistani and Afghani cuisines. The Kayasthas of Delhi are also masters of cooking mutton yakhni pulao.
Our rich, meaty yakhni pulao is a meal unto itself and does not really need accompaniments apart from a pomegranate raita or plain curd, kachumbar salad, and hari chutney. It is best to avoid serving spicy dishes with it.
Learn how to make yakhni pulao at home by watching our yakhni pulao recipe video tutorial with step-by-step instructions and find the detailed recipe with all ingredients, cooking method, and preparation and cooking time right here.
And if you’re looking for other related recipes, then you’ll definitely want to try our:
Mutton Biryani Dum Pukht
Chicken Kofta Biryani
Shahi Raan
Galouti Kebab
Yakhni | Kashmiri Yakhni RecipeOr if rice is what you want, then see all our Rice Recipes here
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RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
Yakhni (stock):
500 grams mutton, or lamb, shoulder and neck, cut into 2-inch pieces
50 grams onions, (about ½ medium onion), cut into 4 wedges
1 whole garlic pod, top sliced off
1 black cardamom pod (badi elaichi)
1 piece cinnamon, 1-inch in size
5 black peppercorns (sabut kali mirch)
4 cloves (laung), (laung)
4 green cardamom pods
1 bay leaf (tej patta), (tej patta)
2 teaspoons salt
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65 grams ghee, about 1/3 cup
200 grams onions, (about 2 medium), divided use - 100 grams sliced into thin rounds, and 100 grams finely chopped
3 green cardamom pods
3 black peppercorns (sabut kali mirch)
3 cloves (laung)
1 piece cinnamon, ½-inch in size
1 black cardamom pod (badi elaichi)
1 large pinch cumin seeds (jeera)
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 bay leaf (tej patta), (tej patta)
400 grams rice, long grain, preferably basmati, (about 2¼ cups), soaked in water to cover for 30 minutes
1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and finely chopped
COOKING METHOD
- Place a pressure cooker over high heat. Add yakhni (stock) ingredients – mutton / lamb, onion, whole garlic pod, cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves, green cardamom pods, bay leaf, salt, and then water to cover the mutton by about 1½ inches. Seal the lid and after the first whistle (when the cooker reaches full pressure), reduce heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before opening the pressure cooker. Strain the yakhni (stock) and set aside. Remove mutton pieces and reserve. Discard whole spices, onion, and garlic.
- Drain soaked rice and set aside.
- Pour ghee into a kadhai or wok on high heat. Slide in sliced onion (rounds) and fry till brown and just crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the remaining onion (finely chopped) to the ghee and sauté till golden-brown. Toss in green cardamom pods, black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, black cardamom pod, and cumin. Stir, then pour in lime juice. Give this a couple of good stirs then add bay leaf. Stir again.
- Tip in drained rice and stir to coat with oil and whole spices. Sauté for 2 minutes before adding chopped ginger. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. The rice should have changed in colour, becoming slightly whitish and translucent, and just slightly crispy.
- Add reserved mutton pieces to the rice. Stir and mix well. Pour in prepared yakhni (stock) and 1/3 cup water, stir well. Cover and cook undisturbed till the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked through – this could take anywhere between 10 to 15 minutes depending on your rice and how long it was soaked. Remove from heat.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with reserved fried onion. Serve hot.
Serves: 4 to 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes plus 30 minutes soaking time
Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Place a pressure cooker over high heat. Add yakhni (stock) ingredients – mutton / lamb, onion, whole garlic pod, cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves, green cardamom pods, bay leaf, salt, and then water to cover the mutton by about 1½ inches. Seal the lid and after the first whistle (when the cooker reaches full pressure), reduce heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before opening the pressure cooker. Strain the yakhni (stock) and set aside. Remove mutton pieces and reserve. Discard whole spices, onion, and garlic.
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