Bethica's Kitchen Flavours: Chicken Yakhni Pulao

This is my version of a Kashmiri style Chicken Yakhni Pulao, that is light and without too much of spices or ghee. It is prepared just like mutton yakhni pulao, but with a few variations.

I cooked this fragrant pulao in chicken cube stock and few aromatic spices. Serve, garnished with fried onions and cashews. Relish it with raita and salad for a satisfying one-pot meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Stock-

1" cinnamon stick
4 cardamoms
6 cloves
2 bay leaves
2 whole red chilies
2 chicken cubes
3 cups water
2 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
2 tbsp. fennel seeds
1" ginger, crushed
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp. asafoetida

Pulao-

500 gms. chicken on bones, curry cut
1 & 1/2 cups basmati rice, soaked for an hour in sufficient water
2 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. ghee
1" cinnamon stick
2-3 green cardamoms
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
salt to taste
few fried cashews to garnish
2-3 tbsp. fried onions to garnish (opt)

Marinate the chicken with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes. Heat 1 tbsp. oil and fry the chicken till it turns light golden colour. Drain and keep aside.

In a pan take the chicken cubes, water and all the ingredients mentioned under stock. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes on a low flame. Drain and separate the stock.

Heat remaining oil and ghee in a pan and temper with cinnamon and cardamoms. Add the onion and sauté till light brown.

Now add the ginger-garlic paste and continue to fry for a minute or till the raw smell disappears.

Add the rice and salt to taste. Fry for 2 minutes. Add the stock and the fried chicken. Pressure cook for one whistle. Garnish with cashews and fried onions. Serve with raita and salad.