Yakhni Pulao

This Yakhni Pualo features fluffy basmati rice cooked with mutton, spices and caramelized onions. If you love a bowl of good rice pilaf that’s comforting & aromatic yet isn’t too spicy, this Yakhni Pulao will be your new favorite meal. I’ve made this for years while hosting guests, weekend family dinners & it’s everyones’ favorite. You can make this in a regular pot, a stovetop pressure cooker or instant pot.

About Yakhni Pulao

Yakhni Pulao is a rice pilaf that’s cooked with Yakhni and minimal spices. Pulao is a one pot rice dish and Yakhni refers to broth or stock made with bone-in meat. Traditionally this dish is cooked from scratch, using fresh cuts of bone-in meat to make the broth. Later, the cooked meat as well the broth are used to make the pulao.

The resutling dish is delicious with subtle flavors of meat, broth and spices. It’s similar to my Chicken Pulao – not super spicy or fiery but very aromatic. It’s a kids’ and senior friendly-dish & be made ahead, stored and reheated for convenience.

A good Raita & a vegetable salad like this Kachumber are essential on the side. At home we love this with Mirchi ka Salan or Bagara Baingan. For a fuller spread, you may also try Shami kebab, Chicken Seekh kabab or these Keema Naan or this vegetarian stuffed Kulcha.

Make ahead

Cooking Yakhni Pulao is easy but it takes time because it consists of 2 components. The first part involves searing and cooking meat with whole spices and aromatics to infuse mild flavors to the yakhni. You may do this either in a pressure cooker or in a pot on the stovetop. Since red meat takes time to cook, you can also make this ahead, strain and store in the refrigerator.

Rice to meat ratio

I make this recipe with 2 cups aged basmati (360 grams) and 1 to 1½ lbs. – ½ to ¾ kg bone-in mutton. It is essential to use bone-in meat like lamb/goat leg or shoulder cuts. If you like more meat in your pulao, go with the higher quantity (3/4 kg).

Photo Guide

How to make Yakhni Pulao (Stepwise Photos)

Make the Yakhni

1. To make the yakhni/broth, you need

• 6 green cardamoms
• 1 black cardamom
• 2 inch piece of cinnamon, not stick
• 6 cloves
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds (may omit)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 medium yellow or white onion – 100 grams, sliced or quartered 1 cup
• 4 large cloves garlic – peeled & sliced, 12 grams
• 1 inch ginger peeled & sliced, 12 grams
• 1½ teaspoon sea salt (+ ½ to 1 tsp more to adjust)

If you want you may slightly crush and tie all the spices in a muslin/ cheese cloth and keep it ready. I don’t do that. (Read my expert tip 1, below)

2. Heat 3 cups (710 ml) water in a pot or a kettle. Meanwhile heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a pot or pressure cooker (or medium saute mode on Instant pot). Add 1 to 1½ lbs. (½ to ¾ kg) bone-in mutton & sear for 5 mins on a medium high heat. (expert tip 2). Do not burn. Stir in the whole spices.

3. Also add salt, onions, ginger, garlic and pour the hot water.

4. Mix well.

• Pressure cooker: Cover with a lid and pressure cook for 3 whistles on a medium heat or in the instant pot for 8 to 10 mins. (It takes 10 mins for my goat meat). Let the pressure drop manually.
• Cook in a Pot on the stove: Bring to a rolling boil and skim off the froth as it forms. Cook on a medium heat until tender, for 1 hour + 30 to 50 mins, depending on the size of your meat.

5. At the end, mutton should be cooked fully but not overcooked. At the prick of a fork or butter knife, meat should come off the bone.

6. Remove the mutton pieces from the yakhni and keep aside in a plate. Strain the yakhni and press down the spices to extract the flavors. Here is the amount of liquid you need to make this yakhni pulao, using 2 cups aged basmati rice. If you are using ordinary basmati cut down the liquid. (expert tip 3) You will measure the yakhni first and add water to make it

• 4 cups – If you are cooking in a regular pot
• 2½ cups – to cook in 6 qt instant pot
• 3¼ cups – to cook in stovetop 6 lt+ pressure cooker or pressure pan

Make the Pulao

7. To make the pulao, rinse 2 cups – 360 grams aged extra long basmati rice thrice. Drain and soak for 30 mins (no longer) while you prepare and caramelise the onions. Gather and prep-up

• 1 bay leaf / tej patta
• 1 to 2 star anise (omit if you don’t like)
• ¾ teaspoon shahi jeera (Indian caraway seeds or sub ½ tsp cumin seeds)
• 6 cloves
• 6 green cardamoms
• 2 inch cinnamon piece
• 2 to 4 green chilies slit or chopped (sub ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper, or use both for high heat)
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (20 grams or 10 grams each grated)
• 1 medium red onion sliced thin (1 cup, 100 grams) 
• ¼ cup Greek yogurt (60 ml, optional)
• ½ teaspoon garam masala + 1 teaspoon fennel powder

8. Heat a wide pot with 3 tablespoons ghee (45 ml). Add the sliced onions and saute for 8 to 9 mins on a medium heat, until deep golden. Stir in the whole spices – bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, star anise and shahi jeera.

9. Add the ginger garlic paste & green chilies. Saute for 1 to 2 mins, without burning. If your pot is too hot, you may deglaze with 1 to 2 tablespoon water & evaporate the liquid.

10. Add the mutton & saute for 2 to 3 mins. Add the garam masala, fennel and salt if you want. I taste test the mutton and add about ¼ teaspoon.

11. Pour the yogurt and mix well.

12. Saute until the yogurt is evaporated completely.

13. Pour the yakhni (I used 4 cups) and taste test at this stage to adjust salt (very important). It should be slightly salty because it reduces after cooking the rice. Bring to a rolling boil on a high heat. Drain the soaked rice completely to a strainer and add it here. Mix well.

14. Cook uncovered, undisturbed on a medium high heat for 7 mins, it should be boiling rapidly through out. Avoid stirring.

If you are using a stovetop pressure cooker, add the rice and pressure cook on high heat for 1 whistle. If using instant pot, add the rice and cook for 5 mins on low pressure. Wait until the pressure drops.

15. Cover & dum cook on a low heat for 10 to 12 mins, until all the water is absorbed. Turn off and rest for 15 mins before uncovering.

16. You should see the yakhni pulao beautifully dum cooked with each grain of rice curled up. There should be no moisture at the bottom. If you find the bottom moist, it means you need to cook it longer. If you find the bottom slightly burnt, it means your flame was higher. Next time, you may use a tawa to diffuse the heat or simply reduce the flame.

17. Avoid stirring or mixing the pulao too much when it’s hot. Yakhni pulao is best served hot else the fats begin to solidify. So I usually store it warm in the oven until served.

Garnish Yakhni Pulao with fried onions and 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.

Expert Tips

• If you want you may crush the spices slightly and tie in a muslin cloth while making the yakhni. Adding them whole to a bag or pouch won’t release enough flavors to the yakhni. I feel using a muslin cloth is unnecessary since it’s easy to get off the spices from the cooked mutton.
• Searing the mutton cuts down the gamey smell and improves the overall flavor of your yakhni. But you may omit if you want to cut down a tbsp of fat from the recipe.
• The amount of liquid mentioned in the recipe is for aged extra long basmati rice. This kind of rice requires 2 cups of water for 1 cup rice and yeilds a lot more than ordinary basmati.
• If you are using other kind of rice – ordinary rice, avoid soaking and use the same amount of water as you use to cook your regular plain rice. Also adjust the cook time accordingly. The cooktime is for aged basmati rice.
• If you want you can add a handful of chopped mint leaves/ pudina while sauteing the cooked mutton in ghee. My Mom always made ours with mint leaves and they add great flavors.
• Do not forget to trim off the excess fat from the mutton else your yakhni can sometimes taste gamey or bitter.

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