An ode to Yakhni Pulao

When rice, yoghurt and meat meets flavoured meat stock you get the Yakhni Pulao, a rice dish that stands out because it’s not loaded with masalas or spices yet is fragrant and flavourful. Here’s more dope on this quintessentially Kashmiri dish.

What is Yakhni pulao?
For those wondering what distinguishes Yakhni pulao from a biryani, chef Surender Mohan, corporate chef — Indian Cuisine, from The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, shares, “Biryani is the modern form of Yakhni, which came about after the introduction of tomato to India by the Portuguese during the rule of Emperor Jahangir.” He adds, “Yakhni is derived from ‘Akhin’ which means broth or shorba, in which boneless mutton and shack are boiled with lots of water and spices to make a mutton shorba. Eventually it is a thin yoghurt based muttonstock. It has no tomato or turmeric added to it. The colour of Yakhni is pale yellow which is attributed to dahi and saffron. Yakhni originated in Persia and was brought to India sometime during the Muslim invasion. But the earliest documented theory was found in Ain-I – Akbar (autobiography of Akbar). In the historical recipe of Yakhni during the rule of emperor Akbar,  it was made of sheep meat. The Ain- I – Akbar recipe or Yakhni has 10 sear meat, 15 sear onion and ½ sear salt.” And it’s not just about who came first, there is a definitely a major difference between the two rice preparations.

Biryani v/s Yakhni pulao
Bandra-based caterer Shabnam Merchant of Simmering Pots breaks it down in simple words. She says, “Yakhni is a shorba/gravy that Kashmiris prepare for special occasions. All the spices are put in a muslin cloth so that you get a clear stock of mutton/chicken with all the flavours infused in it. Then when it is cooked with the mutton, curd is added to it to give it a tanginess. If you are eating biryani you get a lot of spices in your mouth. Yakhni is not masaledar or spicy yet very flavourful and fragrant.” Chef Surender says, “For biryani the meat and rice are clustered together (layered) during cooking, while that’s not the case with Yakhni pulao. Also, tomato and spices are used while making a biryani, which is not the case with Yakhni pulao.”

Where you can order it in the city?
Shabnam sells both mutton and chicken Yakhni pulao priced at `1,500 a kg and Rs 1,200 a kg. Call her on 9819078365.

Mohammed Umar of Umar Pulao Delhiwala, opposite Paradise Cafe in Bhendi Bazaar. He has been in the business for 15 years, and shies away from any publicity. His business largely operates on word of mouth publicity. A chicken Yakhni pulao is priced at Rs 120 a kg. Call him on 9967887537 to place an order.
Jamavar at The Leela also accept orders for it, while Nawab Saheb at Renaissance Mumbai has it on the menu

Make your own at home
Yakhni pulao recipe
Ingredients
300 gms boneless lamb
400 gms lamb shank
1.6 litres water
 15 gms sugar
 600 gms onions
 Salt to taste
 300 gms yoghurt
 10 gms coriander seeds
 15 gms fennel seeds (sauf)
 ½ gm saffron
 4 gms whole spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin seed, bayleaf and black cardamom)
 500 gms basmati rice
 200 gms ghee
 10 gms crushed ginger
 20 gms crushed garlic
 3 spice bouquet garni (spice bag)
 First bouquet garni should contain cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin seed, bayleaf and black cardamom
 Second bouquet garni should contain saunf and whole coriander
Third bouquet garni should contain ginger, garlic and onions

Method
Make three bouquet garni using muslin cloth. Combine lamb, water, yoghurt, sugar, salt and all three spice bouquet garni in a vessel. Bring it to a boil. Turn down the heat. Cook lamb on medium heat till the water is reduced to about half and keep cooking till the meat is tender. Remove the three spice bags. While the lamb is being cooked, rinse and wash pre-soaked basmati rice in plenty of water for about 30 minutes and add it to lamb, mix and cook on a slow fire give it a dum (slow cooking method) for 12-15 minutes. Garnish with some fried onions and mint leaves.

Did you know?
Farah Khan makes a yummy Yakhni pulao for special occasions. In fact, in an earlier interview she shared that actor Malaika Arora Khan loves her Yakhni pulao and always carries a takeaway from her place.