Indian · serves 2

Yakhni Pulao

Rice cooked in mutton stock instead of water. Subtle, and unlike any masala pulao.

70 min A proper cook Non-vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 600g mutton on the bone
  • 2.5 cups basmati, soaked
  • 1 cup curd
  • 3 onions, sliced
  • 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • For the stock bag: 2 tbsp fennel seeds, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 4 cardamom, 1 tsp peppercorns, 2 bay leaves
  • 5 tbsp ghee

Method

  1. Tie the whole spices in a muslin cloth. Boil with the mutton, one onion, ginger and 6 cups water for 45 minutes.
  2. Strain and keep the stock — you need exactly 4 cups. Discard the spice bag.
  3. Ghee, remaining onions till golden. Ginger-garlic paste.
  4. Boiled mutton seared 5 minutes, then whisked curd off the heat.
  5. Drained rice folded in, then the 4 cups of hot stock. Salt generously — the rice absorbs it all.
  6. Boil till the liquid drops to the rice, then cover and lowest flame 12 minutes. Rest 10.

Questions people ask about Yakhni Pulao

How long does Yakhni Pulao take?

About 70 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is a proper cook. A good part of that is unattended, so you can get on with something else once it is going.

What can I use instead of mutton in Yakhni Pulao?

Use chicken thighs, but halve the cooking time. Jackfruit works for a vegetarian version and holds up to long cooking.

Can I make Yakhni Pulao ahead of time?

You can prepare it a few hours ahead and reheat gently. It keeps two days in the fridge, though it is best on the day.

Can I make Yakhni Pulao vegetarian?

Yes. Replace the mutton with paneer, firm tofu, mushrooms or soya chunks. All of them cook far faster than meat, so add them in the last five minutes rather than at the start, and keep the masala exactly as written.

What do you serve with Yakhni Pulao?

Roti or plain rice, with something sharp on the side: curd, pickle or sliced onion. It serves two as written. Double everything to feed four, but use a wider pan so the food still browns rather than steams.

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