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.

Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhni)

I remember going on the new food street in Lahore (FAKE FOOD STREET I MISS THE OLD FOOD STREET) to this foolishly expensive restaurant and asked them for the Chicken Makhni which was nothing but a simple chicken handi with a butter stick on it. 

FOR YOUR INFORMATION THAT IS NOT CHICKEN MAKHNI OR BUTTER CHICKEN BY ANY ANGLE OR DIRECTION WHAT SO EVER !!!!!!

I'm sorry for this outrage and to fix that stupid mistake of that stupid restaurant from the stupid food street which is not even a 0% equivalent of the greatness of the REAL FOOD STREET. I am going to make the original recipe which involves cream, butter and a blend tomatoes with spices.

There are two different versions of this recipe. One is cooked with fresh tomatoes and the other one is cooked with canned tomato puree and cashew nut. This is the tomato puree version but you can cook it the other way as well. The recipe is a bit long and a lot of work but it is worth all the effort. Don't trust me.

For Chicken Marinade

500 grams boneless and skinless thigh meat

1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup plain yogurt

For Gravy

4 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

6 pods cardamom

1 stick cinnamon

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)

1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (sookhi methi)

salt according to taste

2-3 green chilies finely chopped

1 tablespoon red chili powder

1 1/2 can of tomato puree around 600 grams

3 table spoon tomato paste

1/2 cup cream

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/3 cup raw cashew

2 cups water

So first of all we prepare the chicken marinade by adding the yogurt, saffron threads, salt, garam masala and vegetable oil in a bowl or a container. Add the chicken in it and marinate and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours. Overnight is always preferable and adds great flavor as I marinated my chicken over night.

Now its time to prepare the gravy. First we melt the butter in a non stick pan. On medium heat fry cinnamon stick, ginger garlic paste and cardamom pods till fragrant. Add the chopped green chilies and fenugreek seeds. Fry them for 2 minutes.

Blend tomato puree cans and tomato paste together. Add it in the pan and cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes until the tomato mixture is caramelized and all the water is dried.

Now this whole above process takes a lot of time so meanwhile the tomato mixture is being cooked on medium heat we will cook the chicken.

The I won't recommend to fry the chicken as it will take the marinade taste away so the best option we have is to grill it. You can use a grill pan but if you have an electric oven you can also broil it. I won't prefer that you cook the chicken thoroughly while grilling or broiling it as it will also be cooked inside the gravy. Just char the outside and put it on a chopping board. Let it cool down and cut it into large chunks. 

Now after the tomato mixture is ready, you took it of the heat. Put 2 cups of water and raw cashew nuts in a blender. Blend it until it turns milk white and then add it to the tomato mixture. Whisk it until the color turns mild.

Now add salt, red chili powder, garam masala, dried fenugreek leaves and chicken. Start cooking it on medium heat. Add cream and cook it for 6-8 minutes. Butter Chicken is absolutely ready.

Eat it with a chapati, pratha but most preferably eat it with boiled or steamed white rice. Enjoy and don't forget to mention how awesome I am.