Mutton Yakhni Pulao - Kashmiri Style

           Let me share today Kashmiri style Mutton Yakhni Pulao, which was quite a hit at my place. Light on spices and fat, it was absolutely yummy and mouth watering. This pulao is cooked in mutton stock and with few aromatic spices thrown in. It can be relished with some raita and salad as accompaniments. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 400 gms. mutton on bones, cubed
• 1 & 1/2 cups basmati rice, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1" ginger, sliced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp. fennel seeds
• 1 mace
• 2 whole red chilies
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1- 2 bay leaves
• salt to taste

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. butter / ghee
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• pinch of nutmeg powder
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. fried onions to garnish
• 1 tbsp. melted ghee to garnish (opt)

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil and fry the onion, ginger and garlic till light brown. Add the mutton and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

          Add 2 1/2 cups water, salt to taste, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, mace, bay leaves, red chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Alternately, you can put all the whole spices in a potli.

          Pressure cook for 15-20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. When cool enough to handle, drain the stock and separate the mutton pieces. Discard the whole spices.

          For the tempering - Heat the butter and oil and temper with bay leaf, cinnamon and cardamoms. Add the onion and fry till light brown. 

          Then add the ginger-garlic paste and continue to saute till the raw smell disappears. Now add the soaked and drained rice and fry for 1-2 minutes.

          Pressure cook the tempered rice, mutton, 2 cups stock, pinch of nutmeg powder and salt to taste for one whistle. 

          When done, garnish with fried onion and drizzle some ghee (opt). Serve with raita and salad.

                               Heat 2 tbsp. oil & fry onion, ginger & garlic till light brown. 

                                 Add mutton & sauté for 2-3 minutes.

               Add coriander seeds, fennel seeds, mace, bay leaves, red chilies, cinnamon,                                         cardamoms & cloves. 

                                  Add 2 & 1/2 cups water & salt.

                         Pressure cook for 15-20 min. Drain stock & separate mutton pieces. 
                         Discard the whole spices.

                         Heat butter & oil. Temper with bay leaf, cinnamon & cardamoms. 

                                Add onion & fry till light brown. 

                               Add ginger-garlic paste & sauté till the raw smell disappears. 

                                  Add soaked & drained rice & fry for 1-2 minutes.

                                 Transfer contents to a pressure cooker.

                      Pressure cook tempered rice, mutton, 2 cups stock, pinch of nutmeg 
                      powder & salt to taste for one whistle. 

                                The prepared Mutton Yakhni Pulao.

                       Garnish with fried onion & a drizzle of ghee. Serve with raita & salad.