Mutton Yakhni Pulao (Kashmiri Cuisine)

          This is a traditional Kashmiri style Mutton Yakhni Pulao. Light on the tummy, it is an absolute delicacy and mouth watering. This pulao is cooked in mutton stock and with few aromatic spices thrown in. It is very flavorful and is a great party recipe. You can serve it during special occasions with some raita or/and gravy. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Ingredients - 

• 500 gms. mutton with bones, cubed
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp. fennel seeds
• 1 mace
• 2 whole red chilies
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 3 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• salt to taste
• 2 & 1/2 cups water

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 3 cloves
• 1/2 mace
• 1-2 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 & 1/2 cups basmati rice, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• pinch of nutmeg powder
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. fried onions to garnish
• 1 tbsp. melted ghee to garnish (opt)

           
          Make a potli (bouquet garni) with coriander seeds, fennel seeds, mace, bay leaves, red chilies, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. 

          Pressure cook mutton, onion, ginger, garlic, 2 & 1/2 cups water, salt to taste and the spice potli (bouquet garni) for 15-20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

         Discard the whole spices potli and separate the yakhni (stock) from the mutton pieces. Keep them aside. 

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

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

          Add 2 cups yakhni (stock), mutton, pinch of nutmeg powder and salt to taste. Pressure cook for one whistle. 

          Garnish with fried onion and a drizzle of some ghee. Serve with raita and gravy (opt).

                      Pressure cook mutton, onion, ginger, garlic, 2 & 1/2 cups water, salt to taste 
                      & the spice potli for 15-20 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. 

                      Discard the whole spices potli & separate the yakhni (stock) from the mutton                                    pieces. Keep them aside. 

           

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

                                             Add the onion and fry till light brown. 

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

                          Now add the soaked and drained rice and fry for 1-2 minutes.

                     Add 2 cups yakhni (stock), mutton, pinch of nutmeg powder & salt to taste. 
                     

                                          Pressure cook for one whistle. 

                      Garnish with fried onion & a drizzle of some ghee.

                                  Serve with raita & gravy (opt).

Keema Yakhni Pulao (Mince Meat & Rice Pilaf - Kashmiri Style)

          This is my version of a simple Keema Yakhni Pulao with some leftover yakhni. It is an easy pressure cooker method of preparing a one-pot meal that can be relished with some raita and salad. This particular rice preparation is light on the tummy, is mild and less spicy. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 3 cups Basmati rice
• 500 gms. mutton mince, washed & drained
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 5-6 cloves
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 4-5 whole dry red chilies
• 2-3 onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 3-4 green chilies
• 3 & 1/2 cups yakhni stock
• pinch of saffron
• fried onion & chopped coriander leaves

         Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker. Temper with red chilies, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion and fry till light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry till the raw smell is gone.

          Now add the keema and all the dry spices. Mix well and cook on a medium flame till dry. Add the rice and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the stock, green chilies and saffron.

          Pressure cook for 2 whistles. When cool enough, fluff it up and garnish with coriander leaves and fried onions. Serve with raita and salad.






Note:
1.  You can substitute the yakhni with few chicken cubes for an instant version.

                Heat oil & ghee in a cooker. Temper with red chilies, bay leaves, cinnamon, 
                cardamoms & cloves. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                Add onion & fry till light brown. 

                                 Add ginger-garlic paste & fry till raw smell is gone.

                   Add keema & all dry spices. Mix well & cook on a medium flame till dry. 

                                 Add rice & sauté for 2 minutes. 

                                 Then add stock, green chilies & saffron.

                    Pressure cook for 2 whistles. When cool, fluff it up & garnish with 
                    coriander leaves & fried onions. 

                                  Serve with raita & salad.

Chicken Yakhni Pulao - Kashmiri Style

          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.

                   Heat 1 tbsp. oil & fry marinated chicken till it turns light golden colour.
                   Drain & keep aside.

                         In a pan take chicken cubes, water & all ingredients under stock. 
                         Bring to a boil & simmer for 8-10 minutes on low flame. 

                                Drain & separate the stock.

                      Heat remaining oil & ghee & temper with cinnamon & cardamoms. 
                      Add onion & sauté till light brown.

                    Add ginger-garlic paste & continue to fry for a minute or till raw smell 
                    disappears.

                                Add rice & salt to taste. Fry for 2 minutes. 

                                Add stock and fried chicken. 

                                 Pressure cook for one whistle. 

                           Garnish with cashews & fried onions. Serve with raita & salad.

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.