Yakhni Pulao also known as Potli Pulao is a Kashmiri recipe made using rice, mutton and a lot of Indian spices that is full of essence and flavours. The spices are not mixed with rice but cooked with the mutton without making a potli!
For many, you would imagine tender, melt-in-your-mouth pieces of mutton perfectly browned, the aroma of cardamom, coriander and cumin, pillowy soft basmati rice all laced together with sweet slivers of fried onion.
But for me, I feel a sense of comfort, warmth and happiness when I think of Mutton Pulao!
It is the reassuring aroma of cinnamon, cardamom and cumin wafting around the kitchen and making its way into the living room.
It is my Mom stirring a giant pot the size of her entire hob, saut�ing mutton to serve Pulao to our entire family for Eid ul-Adha.
Mutton Pulao is cooked just like other Pulaos, by simmering up a broth (called yakhni in Urdu/Hindi) using the meat and a variety of aromatic whole spices. The beauty of a Mutton Pulao is that since it takes up to 2hrs to cook, it gets an opportunity to simmer for longer and develop a much deeper flavour. This is significantly longer than a Chicken Pulao, which only needs half an hour. Any cook worth their skill will know a slow and long simmer is key to releasing all those delicious juices and flavours!
A classic Mutton Pulao, Yakhni and all, made so easy-to-follow that you cannot possibly mess it up. This recipe promises deep flavor, tender goat or lamb meat, and fluffy rice. It is also is designed to double so you can serve it to guests with confidence. Tested to perfection!
In additional to the long simmer, the combination of the whole spices is what really elevates any Pulao. Without the spices, any Pulao is incomplete. I use a combination of aromatic whole spices, ginger and garlic for my yakhni.
Spicy Mutton Pulao (Gosht Pulav) is a comforting one-pot dish in which tender and succulent mutton pieces are cooked along with aged basmati rice, fragrant whole spices, and a few other simple ingredients. It takes less time and effort to cook but tastes as good as Mutton Biryani!
Ingredients for Mutton Potli Pulao(Without Potli)
Steps for Mutton Potli Pulao(Without Potli)
Mutton Potli Pulao(Without Potli)
Ingredients
Half kg Mutton
1 Bay Leaf
1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
2 teaspoon Coriander Seeds
1 small Onion
1 inch Ginger Piece
8 to 10 Garlic Cloves
2 small piece Cinnamon
1 Star Anise
Half teaspoon Black Peppercorns
3 Cloves
1 Black Cardamom
3 Green Cardamom
1 teaspoon Salt
Half litre Water
4 to 5 tablespoon Oil
2 to 3 Bay Leaves
2 piece Cinnamon
2 Dried Red Chillies
3 Green Cardamoms
1 Black Cardamom
3 Cloves
1 teaspoon Shah Jeera
1 big Onion
2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
Half cup Curds
1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic paste
3 to 4 crushed Green Chillies
1 teaspoon Fennel Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
Some chopped Coriander Leaves
2 to 3 slit Green Chillies
1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder
Little Salt
300 grams of Basmati Rice
Steps
Take 300 grams of basmati rice was it and soak in water for 30 to 40 minutes.
Take half kg big pieces of mutton, always use big pieces for pulao and biryani .
Wash the mutton, drain the water and keep aside.
Heat pressure cooker add 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 2 tsp coriander seeds, one small onion, 1 inch Ginger piece, 8 to 10 garlic cloves, 2 small piece cinnamon, 1 star anise, half tsp black pepper corns, 3 cloves, 1 black cardamom, 3 Green cardamom, 1 tsp salt, add half litre water.
Now add the mutton pieces, give a good mix and pressure cooker it on high flame till one Whistle and on low flame till 10 to 15 minutes till the Mutton is tender.
Now open the pressure cooker lid ,using a tong remove the mutton pieces from the stock , strain the stock keep aside and discard the remaining spices and onions.
Take a big heavy bottomed vessel in which you can cook the pulao, heat 4 to 5 tbsp oil, add 2 to 3 bay leaves, 2 piece cinnamon ,2 dried red Chillies, 3 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 3 cloves, 1 tsp Shah jeera. Then add one big sliced onion, fry the onion still pink in color, then add the boiled mutton pieces, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 3 to 4 crushed green chillies, stir fry the mutton on medium to low flame for 3 to 4 minutes with the spices.
Then keep the flame low, add half cup curds, 2 tsp coriander powder, one tsp fennel powder, stir fry it on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes till the curds and all the spices are cooked properly with the mutton.
At this point add 1 tsp salt mix it, now measure the stock it will be approximately 400 ml.
We are using 300 grams of basmati rice, so we need 600 ml of water to cook in, so 400 ml is the stock now add 200 ml of water more to make it 600ml, add some chopped coriander leaves, 2 to 3 slit green chillies, 1 tsp garam masala powder, add little salt, when the stock of mutton start boiling, add soaked and drained basmati rice.
Mix it with light hands and let it Simmer on high flame for 4 to 5 minutes, then cover and keep it for dum on low flame for 10 to 15 minutes.
Check the pulao after 15 minutes, see that rice is cooked properly then off the flame and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Serve it hot with raita and salad or curds.
Pulao is alongside a raita (a yogurt based sauce, spiced with salt and cumin), a kachumber salad (simply onions, tomatoes, cucumbers cut in small cubes). This serves the purpose of adding a refreshing, crunchy and cool hint to the warm and tender Pulao rice and meat.
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Tips *Always prefer a shoulder cut mutton or leg cut mutton for making Pulao! The cut of mutton you prefer will be largely down to your own personal choice. *Cook your meat on the lowest heat or in a pressure cooker, or until it is melt-in-your-mouth tender. If you are confused about meat doneness, take a bite. If it is at all chewy, cook longer. In the case of goat/lamb meat, falling off the bone tender is always better than leathery tough. *Let the rice simmer partially covered, to avoid the rice from sticking to the bottom of your pot.
