Yakhni or Kashmiri Yakhni is a dish made with mutton or lamb with whole spices in a yogurt gravy; one that features prominently in the celebratory Wazwan (multi-course feast) in the region. Whole spices make this yakhni recipe highly flavourful, ginger and fennel powder impart a delicious aroma to the curry, while the addition of yogurt makes it slightly tangy. In all, this easy yakhni recipe, cooked the Kashmiri Pandit way, comes together as a rich, creamy, and immensely delectable dish with mutton or lamb. Jump to the recipe.
To make this mutton yakhni recipe, you need mutton, or lamb if you’re making a lamb yakhni recipe, preferably from the shoulder, cut into 1½ - 2-inch pieces, mustard oil, whole cinnamon, bay leaves, black cardamom, green cardamoms, cloves or laung, ginger powder or sonth, fennel powder or saunf, yogurt, dried crushed mint, and black cumin or shahi jeera. Ginger and fennel powder are added to many Kashmiri preparations and form the basic flavour profile of this dish as well.
▲ Yakhni is usually made with mutton or lamb with whole spices in a yogurt gravy, and features prominently in the celebratory Wazwan.
Yakhni in Kashmiri cuisine refers to yogurt-based gravies and typically yakhni preparations do not have turmeric or red chilli powder added to them. A meat stew called yahni has its origins in Medieval Persia. The name comes from covered clay pot style of cooking. Different varieties of Yakhni were later prepared in countries such as Afghanistan and Uzbekistan as well as in the Indian subcontinent. In Pakistan and several parts of India, yakhni refers to a broth or stock.
▲ Sauté whole spices in oil before adding mutton or lamb
Mutton and lamb preparations are savoured across India and are made with local ingredients and spices. Some regional mutton preparations from India include the Rampuri Taar Gosht, Bengali Kosha Mangsho, Kashmiri Rogan Josh, Parsi Salli Boti, and Chettinad Uppu Kari.
▲ Sauté the mutton or lamb until it starts to colour
Rice is the staple food of Kashmiris along with mutton and lamb preparations. Vegetables such as nadru or lotus stem, and haak, a leafy green, kohlrabi, and turnips are eaten across the region. Kashmiri cuisine is largely divided into the food of the Kashmiri Pandit community and that of the Kashmiri Muslims. The distinction between the two lies in the use of asafoetida and yogurt by the Kashmiri Pandits, while the Muslims liberally use tomato, onion, and garlic. Unlike the rest of the subcontinent, the Pandits of the region consume meat.
▲ Transfer to a pressure cooker, add water, salt, and other spices in the recipe and pressure cook for 6 to 7 minutes after the 1st whistle
The Kashmiri cooks are known as wazas. They are thought to be the descendants of great migrant chefs from Samarqand and elsewhere in Central Asia. The traditional Kashmiri banquet is Wazwan where 'waz' signifies chef and 'wan' refers to a shop selling meat and other food. Wazwan can have upto 36 dishes and almost 15 of them are meat preparations. The feast is cooked all night long under the guidance of the vasta waza who is the head chef.
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▲ Pour whisked yogurt into a pan and stir continuously till reduced by half, 12 to 15 minutes.
The making of yakhni involves four stages of cooking. Firstly, the whole spices and mutton are sautéed. For this step you need to heat mustard oil till it reaches smoking point. Thereafter, reduce heat to medium, and add whole spices and stir before adding mutton which needs to be cooked till it gains some colour which should take 7 to 8 minutes.
▲ Pour freshly made mutton stock into the reduced yogurt and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes
The second step involves pressure cooking the mutton. While doing so follow the measurements of water for best results. Once mutton is cooked, you need to separate the mutton and the stock and reserve them.
▲ Tip pressure cooked mutton into the yogurt and stock simmering in the pan.
The next step involves cooking the yogurt. This can happen simultaneously while the mutton is cooking in the pressure cooker. You need to pour the whisked yogurt in your cooking vessel on medium heat and stir continuously till the yogurt comes to a boil. Stirring ensures the yogurt doesn’t curdle due to the heat. You need to reduce the yogurt by half which will take about 12 to 15 minutes.
▲ Simmer the yakhni, stirring occasionally, till thickened, 15 to 25 minutes
The final step calls for adding the stock into the reduced yogurt and cooking for about 4 minutes, stirring all the while. Thereafter, add the mutton and cook till the gravy thickens. Lastly, add dried mint and black cumin seeds, stir for a minute then remove from heat.
▲ Add dried crushed mint and black cumin and stir before taking off the heat
The mild and distinct flavours of yakhni are best savoured with steamed rice. But if you want you can have it with breads of your choice too.
▲ Serve yakhni hot with rice and dig in!
Learn how to make the best Yakhni at home by following our easy step by step photos or follow the detailed video recipe above which handholds you through the process. Find the easiest way to make this Yakhni recipe, its simple ingredients, and top tricks to make it right here.