Mutton Yakhni Pulao (Rice Pilaf)
Mutton Yakhni Pulao (Rice Pilaf) is prepared by cooking aged basmati rice in a lightly spiced aromatic broth prepared with bone-in goat meat.
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Ingredients
- 2 lb goat meat (see notes)
- 4 cups basmati rice (see notes)
- 1 cup cooking oil (see notes)
- 4 yellow onions (see notes)
- 2 tablespoon garlic paste (see notes)
- 2 tablespoon ginger paste (see notes)
- 4 teaspoon coriander powder (see notes)
- 4 tsp salt (see notes)
- 2 teaspoon black cumin seeds (see notes)
Bouquet Garni For Stock (see notes)
- 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoon white cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 4 dry red chilies
- 4 bay leaves
Bouquet Garni For Rice (see notes)
- 2 black cardamom seeds
- 2 star anise
- 8 cloves
- 8 black peppercorns
- 1 inch stick cinnamon
Instructions
Prepare the stock
- Heat the cooking oil and saute the onions in it till they're a medium golden brown.
- Add in the garlic and ginger paste and saute for about 30 seconds.
- Add in the goat meat and saute till the meat is no longer pink.
- Add 8 cups of water, the salt, and the bouquet garni for the stock.
- Cover, bring to a boil, and then simmer on medium-low heat for 1 hour.
Prepare the base for the rice
- Uncover, turn the heat up and cook the stock until you have only 1 cup of water left.
- Remove the bouquet garni and squeeze it with tongs to extract all the flavor, and discard the spice bundle.
- Add the coriander powder and start to saute the meat, stirring continuously on high heat until all the water evaporates.
- By this time, the onions should be in a pureed form and the oil should have separated.
Cook the rice
- At this point, add 6 cups of water along with the second bouquet garni to this mixture.
- Strain your washed and pre-soaked rice to this mix, check the salt, and boil everything at high heat.
- Once all the water has evaporated, sprinkle the black cumin seeds on top of the rice, cover with foil, seal tightly, and place the lid on top.
- Reduce the flame to the lowest setting and steam the rice for 15-20 minutes.
- Uncover a small corner of the foil after 15 minutes and check a rice grain to see if it is cooked through.
- Once the rice is done, uncover, remove the foil, fluff the rice gently, and serve.
Notes
Meat - I use a cut-up, bone-in goat leg for best results. I find the lean and succulent meat perfect for this recipe. If you prefer a slightly fattier cut, a goat shoulder works well.
Rice - Long-grain aged basmati rice is a must for a perfect pulao. I use a variety called Sela basmati rice, which is known for all of the above and has a higher nutritional value than regular.
Oil - Traditionally, South Asian cooking is prepared with the use of Ghee. I use canola or avocado oil on a regular basis and save Ghee for special occasions and a more authentic flavor. You can choose either option or use ½ oil and ½ ghee for a happy medium.
Onions - Properly caramelized onions create the base for this recipe and are the main source of flavor for any pilaf. All the other ingredients are added to and layered with these onions to create the taste that pulao is famous for. I use two onions per cup of rice for all my pulao recipes.
Garlic/Ginger Paste - Please take the time to use freshly prepared garlic and ginger paste if possible. It's so easy with the use of a Mortar and Pestle and will considerably improve the flavor of your pulao. Add 20 cloves of garlic and a 2-inch piece of peeled and sliced ginger to your mortar and pestle for the two tablespoons needed for this recipe.
Coriander Powder - I add this to my meat and onions as I saute them at the last stage to add color and flavor to my pulao.
Salt - The right quantity of salt is very important, so while four teaspoons may sound like a lot, the starch in the rice will pull all that flavor and needs it to taste delicious.
The aromatics - Separating the whole spices into groups and adding them at different intervals allows for a depth of aroma that would be otherwise missing. You'll note that the scent of spices added to any food diminishes with time as it cooks. Thus, adding the spices at intervals during the cooking process allows for a stronger aroma throughout the finished dish.
Nutrition
Serving: 1personCalories: 797kcalCarbohydrates: 85gProtein: 34gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 1240mgPotassium: 720mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 234IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 104mgIron: 5mg
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