Mutton Pulao (Yakhni Pulao)

Nice people are underrated. You rarely find them. When you do, what do you do with them?

Yes, you break their hearts and you leave them alone. I have seen the most nicest people the most loneliest. Maybe that is life for them, a test indeed.

Just like nice people who are so underrated, Mutton Pulao (Yakhni Pulao) is also very underrated as the big bad Biryani takes over the rice recipe game BUT if made correctly and by using the right ingredients, you can make the best Mutton Pulao ever which can in my opinion wipe out any biryani by its succulent meat and heavenly mild taste.

This recipe is very close to my heart as its the exact same way my Mother (may ALLAH SWT bless her soul and may she rests in eternal heavens) used to make it and it took me quite sometime to remember all the ingredients and the way she used to make it.

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice soaked in water for half an hour

1 kilogram mutton

1 big onion sliced in half

2-3 small garlic heads

1 piece of ginger

1 cup of yogurt

1 teaspoon of white cumin

1/2 teaspoon of black cumin

3 cinnamon sticks

1 star anise

3 big black cardamoms

5 small green cardamoms

1 teaspoon whole coriander

11 whole black pepper

5 cloves

10 cups water

3/4th cup of oil

salt to taste

Now you need to add the meat in a pressure cooker along the black pepper, star anise, garlic heads, onion, cloves, ginger, green cardamoms, black cardamoms, whole coriander and salt. (I added 2 tablespoon of salt here but please add according to your own taste)

Now add 10 cups of water.

Cover the pressure cooker and after you hear the whistle let it cook for 20-25 minutes.

After it cooks drain the yakhni/broth in a separate pan and take out the meat in a separate plate from all the other ingredients.

If the broth is 7-8 cups then its good. If it's less than that no worry, we can add water to it as it is concentrated.

Add 3/4th cup oil in a pan. Add white cumin, black cumin, star anise, cooked mutton and fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add yogurt and cook for 4-5 minutes again.

Measure 7 and a half cups of stock. (If it is less then add water AGAIN the taste won't change as its concentrated)

Add the stock to the pan and then the rice.

Cook it on high flame for 5 minutes. Then on low flame 10 minutes. Then cover it and put it on damm for 5-6 minutes.

Mutton Pulao is ready.

You can crisp fry onions in oil and top the Pulao with  that and also chopped coriander.

Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for the heavenly mild and full of flavor Mutton Pulao.