The Mutton Yakhni Pulao recipe is a traditional Pakistani rice pilaf made with mutton stock and whole spices. It is an aromatic rice dish with tender meat chunks that are incredibly flavorful, served with a side of green chutney raita and kachumber salad.
What Is Pulao?
Pilaf, another name for pulao, is a rice dish that requires special preparation. Typically, the recipe calls for cooking the rice in stock or broth with whole spices, meat, or vegetables.
What Is the Difference Between Biryani and Pulao?
Traditionally, tomato-and-spice-based gravy is used to cook biryani, and the rice is boiled separately and layered with gravy. Food coloring is added at the very end. Biryani has a strong flavor; on the other hand, pulao is mild in flavor. Rice is cooked in a rich, flavorful yakhni broth made with a variety of aromatic whole spices.
How To Choose The Right Meat For The Pulao
The key to making a delicious pulao, whether you are cooking mutton, beef, or lamb, is selecting the right meat.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to buy bone-in meat if you want good taste and texture. Aside from adding tons of flavor, the bone stock keeps the meat from drying out while it cooks.
Select meat from the shoulder or leg; chops and other meat pieces with some fat work well for the recipe.
How To Cook Yakhni Or Stock
Traditionally, whole spices, onions, ginger, cloves of garlic, and meat are simmered over low heat to make yakhni stock. You can expedite the step by using a pressure cooker.
A Secret Bonus Tip
My mother used to always advise checking the salt at the last stage after modifying the water amount. She stated that “namk hamesha zara utta hua hoo” means that the yakhni should be slightly salted when tasted for the ideal final result. I like to use Himalayan salt in food and recipes.
FAQS
Why does my pulao rice always have a mushy texture?
Adding too much yakhni usually results in mushy rice. It is very important to add the appropriate amount of yakhni to the rice. The simplest method to measure the liquid is to dip your finger; the water should reach the finger’s first line or one inch above the rice layer.
Why is the color of my pulao always dark?
The color of the rice will depend on how darkly you fry the onions. To make a brown pulao, fry the onions until they are deeply brown, taking care not to burn them. For the light color of the rice, simply sauté the onions until they are golden brown, take out most of them before adding the meat, and then sprinkle the fried onions over the rice at dum. Rice will become whitish as a result.
Why does my pulao look dry?
This typically occurs when you use boneless, low-fat meat or when the amount of oil in the recipe is too small. If your rice seems too dry before serving, you can quickly reheat some oil in a pan, pour it over the rice, and stir well.
Pro Tips For Making Delicious Pulao
- Use bone-in meat that has at least 20% fat in it for this recipe.
- You can easily modify this recipe to use chicken, lamb, or beef. For chicken, make sure to adjust the timing and water quantity, as chicken has a short cooking time and doesn’t require a lot of water for tendering.
- The secret to better flavor and aroma when making yakhni is using whole spices. Ground spices make Paulo appear darker than usual
- Before cooking, let the rice soak for at least 30 minutes. This not only helps to remove excess starch from the rice but also results in more fluffy rice while reducing the cooking time.
- For best results, try using extra-long, high-quality Basmati rice.
- Don’t hesitate to use a little extra cooking oil in the recipe
- If you feel Yakhni is not enough after adding the rice, it can easily be adjusted by adding some extra water (see the Yakhni perfect measurement above)
- Add the ginger, green chilies, and golden brown onions when it is time for dum. They will smell amazing and add a ton of flavor.
How Do You Make This Recipe Freezer-Friendly?
You can freeze meat yakhni for use at a later time after making the stock and straining out all the spices. To cook, just thaw the yakhni and proceed as directed.
Additionally, it is perfect if you are cooking for a party. Make the yakhni ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator; it will keep for up to two days. Add the rice on the day of the event.
What’s Best To Serve With Pulao
Pulao usually goes so well with the green chutney raita and kachumber salad that it completes the meal, but if serving to guests, then shami kabab with pulao is the best combo you will ever have, and trust me, you will not need any other dish beside that.
If you like this recipe, I would suggest trying my Delhi Ki Sada Biryani It also tastes mild and is not only easy to cook but also incredibly delicious.
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The Best Authentic Mutton Pulao From Scratch
6
servings1
hourThe Mutton Yakhni Pulao recipe is a traditional Pakistani rice pilaf made with mutton stock and whole spices. It is a fragrant rice dish with tender meat chunks that are incredibly flavorful, served with a side of green chutney raita and kachumber salad.
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Ingredients
1 kg bone-in mutton
2 medium onions
1 a whole bulb of fresh garlic
4 inch ginger piece
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
4 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon Saunf or fennel seeds
10 black peppercorns
8 cloves
1 bay leaves
1 big cardamon
- For The Pulao
1 kg rice
1 big onion cut thinly
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
6 black peppercorns
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
Directions
- Instant Pot yakhni
- In your Instant Pot, combine all the yakhni ingredients with 3 cups of water. Stir, then pressure cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Let the pot naturally release the pressure for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- For Stovepot Yakhni
- For the stove pot, combine all the yakhni ingredients with 7-8 cups of water. Stir and cook over low heat until the meat is tender and the onions are translucent. If necessary, use more water.
- Instructions For Pulao
- Wash and soak the rice for at least 30 minutes
- When the yakhni is ready, remove all the spices from the stock by straining it and set the meat aside.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan.
- Add the sliced onion and cook it until it turns a light golden brown. Remove almost 80 percent of the fried onions after they are golden brown. Add the cumin seeds, black pepper, cinnamon stick, ginger-garlic paste, and bay leaf after that. The garlic bulb can be squeezed from the stock to add additional flavor. stir well for 1 to 2 minutes
- Add the meat now and stir constantly; if it sticks, add some stock.
- Add the yogurt and stir thoroughly after a minute or two.
- Now add the soaked and pre-washed rice, along with the strained yakhni. You will need to make sure your rice has enough yakhni in it. The easiest way to verify this is to insert a finger until the tip touches the rice. The water should be coming up to the first line of the finger. If there is not enough, add more water until the desired level is reached. If more is added, use a spoon to remove any excess, but be aware that doing so will change the flavor.
- Adjust the salt at this time. Taste the yakhni at this point; the salt needs to be slightly on the higher side.
- Stir well and cook on high heat without covering the pan
- Add the Julien-cut ginger, green chilies, and fried onions (that we set aside earlier) when the water has almost evaporated but the rice still looks wet. They will smell wonderful and add tons of flavor.
- Now cover the lid with foil or a kitchen towel. You can also keep the flat pan or griddle under the pot (this is the traditional way of steaming the rice). Keep the flame on high at this point. Once steam begins to appear, reduce the flame to low and cook for at least 15 to 20 minutes. (This method is also referred to as dum.)
- Keep the rice covered and allow it to sit for ten to fifteen minutes after turning off the flame.
- Take off the cover and use a fork or spatula to fluff the rice. This keeps the rice from clumping or sticking together, which is especially helpful if you are not serving it right away.
Notes
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