Hyderabadi Yakhni Pulao

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg bone-in mutton (Cut into medium pieces; lamb may be substituted)
• 1 kg basmati rice (Rinse several times and soak for 30 minutes)
• 3 onion (Thinly sliced)
• 50 g ginger (Roughly sliced or crushed)
• 50 g garlic (Crushed)
• 6 green chilies (Slit lengthwise)
• 2 cinnamon stick
• 8 green cardamom pods (Lightly crushed)
• 8 cloves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 cup plain yogurt (Whisked)
• 0.5 cup vegetable oil
• salt (To taste; use enough to season the broth and rice)
• 0.5 cup fresh cilantro (Chopped, for garnish)
• 0.5 cup fresh mint (Chopped, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs mostly clear. Soak it in fresh water for 30 minutes, then drain thoroughly.

2. 2

   Place the mutton in a large pot with the ginger, garlic, green chilies, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, bay leaves, and salt. Add enough water to cover the meat.

3. 3

   Bring the pot to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the mutton is tender, approximately 45–60 minutes.

4. 4

   Strain the cooking liquid, reserving the mutton and broth separately. Measure the broth and add water if necessary so there is sufficient liquid to cook the rice according to the rice package ratio.

5. 5

   Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and fry until deeply golden, taking care not to burn them.

6. 6

   Add the cooked mutton and sauté with the onions for several minutes so the meat becomes lightly browned and coated with the flavored oil.

7. 7

   Add the whisked yogurt and cook, stirring, until the yogurt is incorporated and the oil begins to separate from the mixture.

8. 8

   Pour in the reserved yakhni broth and bring it to a rolling boil. Taste and adjust the salt; the liquid should taste slightly more seasoned than desired because the rice will absorb it.

9. 9

   Add the drained rice and gently stir once to distribute it evenly. Cook uncovered until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the surface of the rice is nearly level with the broth.

10. 10

    Reduce the heat to very low, cover the pot tightly, and steam the pulao for 15–20 minutes, until the rice is tender and each grain is separate.

11. 11

    Turn off the heat and let the pulao rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork, garnish with cilantro and mint, and serve hot.

Notes

The supplied source contains only a title and a generic YouTube description; no written recipe, transcript, or visible recipe text was provided. Quantities and method are therefore reconstructed from a typical Hyderabadi yakhni pulao. Serve with raita, sliced onions, or salad.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• rice dish
• Eid
• festive
• mutton
• one-pot
• South Asian
• gluten-free