Yukhni Pulao

Ingredients

• 500 gm mutton,
• 250 gm Basmati rice,
• 2 pinches saffron soaked in ½ a cup of warm water,
• a handful each of raisins and cashew nuts fried in clarified butter,
• 2 tsp garam masala (curry powder),
• 6 green chillies,
• 3-4 tbsp oil,
• 10 flakes garlic,
• 1-inch piece ginger,
• 2 cardamoms,
• 2 tsp fennel seed (saunf),
• 2 tsp coriander seed,
• 2 pieces cinnamon,
• salt

Method

The meat goes into a pressure cooker with 1-½ glasses of water, the ginger and garlic, chillies, salt and the whole spices (cardamoms, fennel seed, coriander seed and cinnamon) tied in a piece of muslin.

Once it’s done, strain the stock, reserve it. I cooked the meat on high pressure till the cooker hissed thrice, then on simmer for about seven minutes.

In half the amount of ghee, fry the meat till it turns pink; remove.Put in the rest of the ghee, add the rice, fry till pink .

Add the stock, warm water, salt and ½ cup of saffron water and added about 1-1/2 cup more later (as the rice hadn’t cooked completely). Once it’s done, cover the rice with the fried onions, garam masala, fried mutton and nuts and raisins, cover tightly (or put some heavy stuff on the lid so that no steam escapes) and let everything infuse for about 20 minutes. Mix and serve.