Cooking Delights: Mutton yakhani pulao

Yakhani pulao is creamish in colour and is light and delicious in flavour!
It is less spicy then biryani and easy to cook.

Ingredients for yakhani:
Mutton- 750 gms,
Onions-2-chop into big chunks,
Garlic-1 whole pod,
Ginger-1 and 1/2 inch piece- peeled and sliced,
Bay leaf-2,
Spices for potli- Big cardamom-2,cloves-5 to 6,cinnamon stick-2,mace -1,peppercorn-1 tsp,whole coriander seeds-1 tbsp,fennel seeds-1 tbsp,bay leaf-2.
Salt- 1tsp,
Water -500ml or 2 cups.

Ingredients for pulao:
Basmati long rice-500 gms,
Medium size onion-2- sliced and fried in oil or ghee,
Ginger paste or shredded -1 tsp,
Garlic paste- 1tsp,
Whole garam masala-White caradamom-8,cloves-6,black pepper corns- 1tsp,bay leaf-2.
Shah jeera or black jeera-1tsp,
Curd-2 tbsp-beaten,
Salt to taste,
Canola oil-1/4 cup + 3 tsp of ghee- divided,
Kewra water- 1/4 tsp or few drops,
Nutmeg- 1/4 tsp ( grated ),
Ginger julienne- 1/2 inch ( optional- use it when you are putting nutmeg pwd )
Hot water-3 and 1/4 cup.

Note:
The standard ratio of pulao or biryani is 500 of rice to 750 of meat.
But it can vary and it is up to your choice.
The ratio can be the same if you like less of meat and more of rice.

The standard water taken for cooking plain rice is 2:1
For each cup of rice, double the amount of water.
But to make biryani or pulao,we use a little less water.
It is necessary for the basmati rice not to be broken or sticky after it is cooked. The long grain rice should to be separated from each other.
For 1 cup of basmati rice use 1 and 3/4 cup of water ( 1/4 less ).
Long grain basmati rice is best for making pulao or biryani.
Use a wide open pot with a heavy bottom for making pulao or biryani.

Method: First part- making of yakhani

Take a pressure cooker and put mutton in it.
Add big chunks of onion,one whole garlic,chopped ginger and bay leaves.

Add 2 cups or 500 ml of water.
Add 1 tsp of salt.
Mix.
Take a muslin cloth and put 1 tbsp of whole coriander seeds,1 tbsp of fennel seeds,whole cardamon,cinnamon sticks,cloves,black pepper.

Tie a knot and place the potli in the cooker.

Put the cooker in high heat and let it give one whistle.
Lower the heat and let it cook for 15 minutes on low heat.
Close gas.
Once the cooker cools down,open the lid.

Strain the contents of the cooker in a bowl through a strainer.
Remove the mutton pieces from the strainer and keep aside in a bowl.

Discard the garlic bulb and ginger pieces.
With a spoon mash the onion to make it pass through the sieve to collect in the bowl.

Squeeze out the stock from the potli and then discard it.
Keep the mutton and yakhani in two separate bowls.

( this process can be made the previous evening to save time )

Assemble:Second part-
Wash and soak long grain basmati rice in water for 1/2 hour.

Take a heavy bottom pot and add 1/4 cup oil and 1 tsp of ghee.
Fry the sliced onion till they are light brown in colour.

Remove the pot from gas and tilt it a litle bit.
Gather the onions to one side,to drain excess oil to one side.

Take out the fried onions in a small ball and keep aside.
Put the pot on the gas and add 2 tsp of ghee to the remaining oil.

Add the black cumin,white cardamom,mace,black pepper,cloves,bay leaf.

Lower the heat and add ginger garlic paste.

Raise the heat to medium and fry the garlic and ginger till they change colour or till the rawness of garlic is gone.
Lower the heat and add 2 tbsp of beaten curd.

Fry till the curd specks disapear ( it will take few seconds ).
Add the boiled mutton pieces and stir fry for a minute in medium heat.

Add the fried onions.

Mix for few seconds.
Meanwhile heat 3 and 1/4 water for the pulao.
As it heats up,pour the yakhani and hot water to the mutton.

Raise the heat to high.
Stir and let it come to boil.

As the yakhani starts to boil,add the soaked rice ( do not add the remaining water of the bowl )

Stir gently.
Taste the yakhani and add salt accordingly.
Add a pinch of grated nutmeg and a few drops of kewra essence.

Stir gently with your spatula.
As the heat is on high,let it come to boil.
As it starts to boil,put a lid on and let it boil for 7 minutes.

Heat a tawa on the side burner on high heat ( just a minute before putting the pot on it).
Lower the heat once the tawa is heated.
After 7 minutes,the rice will puff up and you will not see any bubbles of water on top.