Mutton Yakhni Pulao combines tender mutton with fragrant basmati rice to create a flavorsome and comforting meal. This authentic Mutton Pulao recipe from the Awadh or Lucknow region in India is served during celebrations including the festival of Eid. With this well-tested and easy-to-follow recipe, you can now make Yakhni Pulao with perfect results!
Yakhni Pulao is popular in Indian and Pakistani cooking. In India, it comes from the land of nawabs, “Lucknow.” It is a traditional recipe with a captivating aroma and wonderful flavors. It is not a spicy rice dish such as chicken biryani but is mild with an amazing depth of flavor like my chicken pulao.
The magic behind its taste comes from the Yakhni broth, which is made with aromatic spices and herbs that make this goat and rice taste heavenly.
This authentic recipe requires patience as it has a lot of cooking time, but you do not need to be actively involved during that time. I will be sharing the recipe for making this yakhni pulao on the stovetop and the instant pot (pressure cooker). So even though the cooking time is high, you can make this delightful dish on weeknights.
Table of Contents
Watch How to Make Yakni Pulao
What is Yakhni Pulao?
Yakhni Pulao is a traditional dish that features long-grain basmati rice cooked in a flavorful broth called “Yakhni.” The broth is infused with a blend of aromatic spices and herbs, which imparts a rich and aromatic essence to the dish.
Bone-in mutton, lamb, or chicken pieces are simmered in the Yakhni broth, creating tender and juicy meat. The rice is then cooked in this flavorful broth, absorbing all the goodness of the spices and meat.
If you enjoy mutton, check out Aloo Gosht, Mutton Curry, and Keema Recipe.
What is the difference between Pulao, Yakhni Pulao, and Biryani?
Pulao, Yakhni Pulao, and Biryani are all rice dishes, but they differ in preparation and ingredients.
- Pulao is a simple rice dish cooked with spices and may include vegetables, meat, or both.
- Yakhni Pulao uses the special Yakhni broth to cook rice and meat.
- Biryani involves layering marinated meat and partially cooked rice, which is then cooked to perfection, creating a more complex and spicier dish.
Ingredients
Don’t get intimidated by the long ingredient list for this goat pulao. You will notice that most are whole spices, which you might have in your pantry if you are used to cooking Indian meals frequently.
- Long-grain Basmati Rice: This fragrant rice variety adds a wonderful aroma and fluffy texture to the pulao. Rinse the rice and soak it before cooking for the best results.
- Mutton (Goat Meat) or Lamb: Choose tender pieces of bone-in mutton or lamb, such as shoulder or leg cuts, and cut them into 2-inch pieces. The meat will become succulent and flavorful as it cooks in the Yakhni broth.
Yakhni Stock:
- Yellow Onion: Roughly chop a small yellow onion to add a subtle sweetness to the Yakhni broth.
- Garlic: Use 4-5 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped, for a rich and intense flavor in the broth.
- Ginger: A 1-inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped, will add a warm and zesty taste to the Yakhni.
- Whole Spices: We add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, mace, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cardamom, and cloves when making the Yakhni broth.
- Salt: Essential for seasoning, salt enhances the flavors of the Yakhni.
For Pulao:
- Ghee or Oil: Combine ghee and oil to cook the pulao. This will add richness and depth to the final dish.
- Thinly Sliced Yellow Onions: The caramelized onions will lend sweetness and flavor to the pulao.
- Ginger and Garlic: Use freshly grated ginger and minced garlic for the best flavor. You can also use ginger and garlic paste for convenience.
- Green chili pepper: Optional but gives the dish a slight spice kick.
- Whisked Yogurt: Yogurt adds creaminess and a subtle tanginess to the pulao.
- Garam Masala: This aromatic spice blend brings a burst of flavors to the pulao.
- Lime Juice: It adds a refreshing touch and balances the overall taste of the pulao.
For Garnish:
- Cilantro Leaves: Sprinkle freshly chopped cilantro over the pulao for a pop of freshness.
- Birista/Fried Onions (optional): For an extra layer of flavor and crunch, you can top the pulao with crispy fried onions (also known as birista).
How to Make Mutton Yakhni Pulao?
There are two main steps in making Yakhni Pulao – Making the yakni stock and making the pulao.
I suggest planning ahead when making this gosht pulao, so you can set the broth to cook beforehand. Once the yakhni broth is ready, you can make this pulao easily and rather quickly.
Making Yakhni Stock
- In a large stockpot, combine all the ingredients for the Yakhni broth – onions, ginger, garlic, whole spices, and salt. Then add the mutton pieces.
- Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 70-90 minutes until the meat is tender.
- Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the broth and set it aside.
- Strain the broth to separate the onions and spices, and keep the broth aside.
- Measure the Yakhni stock and add water to make it 2 3/4 cups.
Recipe Tips
- It is important to cook the broth on low heat for a longer time, so the broth gets time to develop the flavor with the meat and whole spices.
- Make sure the meat is cooked before taking it out from the broth, as you don’t want chewy undercooked meat in your pulao.
- For a time-saving method, you can use a pressure cooker or instant pot to cook the Yakhni stock on high pressure for 20 minutes with 3 cups of water. Let the pressure release naturally.
Making Pulao:
- Rinse the long-grain Basmati rice and soak it for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat ghee or oil in a Dutch oven or large pan over medium heat and fry the thinly sliced onions until they are light brown.
- Add the whole spices, green chili, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until aromatic.
- Stir in the cooked mutton pieces and sauté for a few minutes.
- Add whisked yogurt, salt, garam masala, and lime juice. Cook for another minute while stirring continuously.
- Pour in the reserved Yakhni stock and bring it to a boil.
- Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pan. Bring it to a boil again.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and allow the rice to cook for 15 minutes until all the broth is absorbed.
- Let the pulao rest for an additional 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and, optionally, fried onions (birista).
Gently fluff the rice and serve the delicious Mutton Yakhni Pulao with raita and salad.
Recipe Tip
- Do not stir once you have kept the rice to cook with the broth. Cover with a lid and let the pulao cook on low heat.
- Once cooked, fluff the rice gently. You can use a rice paddle or spatula to gently stir the rice from the sides of the pan.
- Double: You can double this recipe, but make sure to measure the stock before cooking the rice.
- Make ahead: The yakhni broth can be made ahead of time and stored for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.
What to Serve With Mutton Pulao?
Mutton Yakhni Pulao pairs wonderfully with cooling accompaniments like raita (yogurt with cucumber, mint, and spices) and crunchy kachumber salad. The contrasting flavors complement each other perfectly, making your meal a delightful experience.
Common Questions
Use long-grain Basmati rice for your pulao for the best results. Basmati rice is known for its distinct aroma and fluffy texture, making it the perfect choice for this dish.
Opt for tender cuts of Mutton or Lamb, such as shoulder or leg meat, as they cook well and become tender during the simmering process.
More Pulao Recipes
Mutton Yakhni Pulao (Easy, Authentic Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Basmati Rice, long grain
- 1 lb Mutton (Goat Meat) or Lamb, cut into 2 inch pieces, cleaned
For Yakhni Stock
- 4 cup Water, (3 cups for instant pot method)
- 3/4 cup Yellow onion, 1 small roughly chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 4-5 cloves Garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 inch Ginger, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1/2 tablespoon Fennel Seeds (Saunf)
- 1/2 tablespoon Coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
- 1 Mace
- 2 inch Cinnamon (Dalchini)
- 1 Bay leaf (Tej Patta)
- 3 Green Cardamom (Elaichi)
- 1 Black Cardamom (Moti Elaichi)
- 4 Cloves (Laung)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
For Pulao
- 3 tablespoon Ghee or Oil, I prefer to use a combination of half ghee and half oil
- 1 1/4 cup Yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 Bay leaf (Tej Patta)
- 3 Green Cardamom (Elaichi)
- 1 Black Cardamom (Moti Elaichi)
- 4 Cloves (Laung)
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1 Green Chili Pepper, slit into half lengthwise, I use Serrano or Thai chili, optional
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced or paste
- 2 teaspoon Ginger, grated or paste
- 3 tablespoon Yogurt, whisked
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt, adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1/2 Lime, juiced
For Garnish
- Cilantro leaves, chopped
- Birista / Fried onions, optional
Instructions
- Rinse and soak the long grain basmati rice for at least 30 minutes.
Making Yakhni Stock
- Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Add all of the ingredients for yakhni broth to the pot and stir them. Add the meat (goat or lamb). (Note: if you like you can put all the broth ingredients such as onions and whole spices in a spice bag or muslin cloth to make it easier to separate the meat once cooked)
- Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low.
- Cover and let it cook for 70-90 minutes. Check that the meat is tender. If not, cook for 10 more minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Instant Pot Method: You can pressure cook the yakhni stock on high pressure for 20 minutes. Add 3 cups of water. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Use tongs or a slotted spoon to separate the meat pieces from the broth. Place the meat in a bowl and keep aside. Using a strainer, separate the onions and whole spices from the broth. Discard the residue in the strainer. Reserve the broth for later use.
- Measure the stock and if it is less than 2 3/4 cup, add water to make it that amount.
Making pulao
- Heat oil or ghee in a dutch oven or large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and fry them till they are light brown for about 8 minutes. Make sure the onions are light brown as this will give a good color to the pulao. If needed, add 2 tablespoon water to deglaze the pan.
- Then add the whole spices (bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, black peppercorns, cumin seeds), green chili pepper, garlic, and ginger, and sauté for a minute until aromatic.
- Add the reserved meat pieces, mix well, and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add whisked yogurt and mix. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the salt, garam masala, and lime juice. Stir and cook for another minute.
- Add reserved stock, and mix well. Bring it to a boil.
- Drain water from the soaked rice, and add it to the pan.
- Bring to a boil. Once the rice comes to a boil again, reduce the heat to low. allow to cook for 15 minutes until all broth is absorbed by the rice.
- Turn off the heat and allow to rest for another 10 minutes.
- Instant Pot Method: Follow the same steps as the stovetop method in the instant pot. Then cook on Rice mode, which typically defaults to Low Pressure for 12 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the pressure manually.
Finishing Steps
- Garnish with cilantro. Fluff the rice gently. Optionally, you can top with some birista (fried onions).
- Serve mutton pulao with raita and salad.
Hi thanks for sharing this recipe. I am making this tonight and wanted to know how much reserved broth would be needed?
Hello – You will need 2 3/4 cup of the reserved stock (mentioned in step 6). I hope you enjoy the pulao.
Sorry what I meant to ask was how much stock for making the pulao in instant pot. Would it still be 2 3/4 cup for the 1.5 cups of rice?
I ended up making it stovetop and it was good, though as personal taster preference next time I’ll up the spices.
Thank you again!!
Thats correct. For 2 cups of rice, use 2 3/4 cup of stock. This is supposed to be a mld pulao, so feel free to increase the spices to your taste. Thank you for the feedback!