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Mutton yakhni pulao served on a black plate with onions and raita on the side
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4.85 from 13 votes

Mutton Yakhni Pulao

Flavourful, elegant mutton yakhni pulao is so easy that you can whip it up for dinner, especially if you make it in a Pressure cooker. Fragrant rice, tender pieces of meat, this is fit for a celebration.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Kashmiri, North Indian, Pakistani
Diet: Halal
Servings: 6 people
Author: Richa

Ingredients

For the Bouquet Garni

  • 1 large Onion cut into large chunks
  • 1 inch Ginger cut into chunks
  • 8 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Bayleaf
  • 2 Green Cardamom
  • 1 Black Cardamom
  • 1 Teaspoon Black Peppercorns
  • 1 Tablespoon Saunf
  • 1 Tablespoon Coriander Seeds
  • 1.5 inch Cinnamon Stick
  • 1 Star Anise
  • 4-5 Cloves
  • 1 Mace
  • 8-10 Saffron Strands

Yakhni

  • 500 grams Mutton
  • 4 Cups Water
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt

For the Pulao

  • 450 Grams Basmati Rice approx 2 cups, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
  • 3 Tablespoons Ghee
  • 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
  • 4-5 Cloves
  • ½ Teaspoon Peppercorns
  • 2 Green Cardamom
  • 1 Black Cardamom
  • 2-3 Green Chillies slit
  • 1 inch Cinnamon
  • 1 Bayleaf
  • 2 Onions sliced
  • Pinch of Hing asafoetida
  • 1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
  • 1 Teaspoon Fennel Powder
  • ½ Teaspoon Jeera Powder
  • 2 tbsp water
  • ½ Cup Curd
  • 1 1/4 Teaspoons Salt

Instructions

For the Bouquet Garni

  • Prep the bouquet garni by adding all the ingredients into a muslin or a cheesecloth and tying them up together. Keep aside.

For Mutton

  • Add mutton, bouquet garni, salt and water to a pressure cooker. Cook on high and after the first whistle, pressure cook on low for 20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally
  • Remove the bouquet garni with tongs. Drain the remaining mutton and stock, reserving the mutton and stock (yakhni) separately. Squeeze out all the juices from the bouquet garni into the stock.

For the Pulao

  • Add ghee to a pressure cooker on medium high and allow it to heat up. Once hot, add cumin, cloves, peppercorn, cardamom, green chillies, cinnamon and bay leaf. Saute for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
  • Add sliced onions and fry on medium heat until golden brown, 2-4 minutes. Add ginger garlic paste, hing, fennel powder and jeera powder. Splash 2 tablespoons of water to avoid the masalas sticking to the pressure cooker. Cook for 3-4 minutes on low heat, stirring frequently.
  • Add mutton and dry roast for 2-3 minutes. Add curd and cook stirring continuously for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add rice, salt and measure 3 1/4 cups of reserved stock (yakhni). Mix to combine. Pressure cook for 12 minutes on low. Let the pressure release naturally and serve hot.

Video

Notes

  1. Use aged basmati rice that's labelled 'basmati' rather than 'long grain rice' which is not true basmati. True basmati has a beautiful aroma, and ageing makes the rice more tasty and gives you grains that remain separate while cooking.
  2. Meat cut: Look for bone-in shoulder cut which has some fat and remains tender as the pulao cooks. The cooking time may seem short to some but if the mutton you use is of good quality, this cooking time is perfect.
  3. Serve this with raita. 

Nutrition

Calories: 643kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 997mg | Potassium: 494mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 3mg