Yakhni Lamb Pulao

Yakhni Lamb Pulao

Yakhni Lamb Pulao

Lamb cooked in whole spices; cinnamon, cardamom and onions. The rice is fried with garlic & cooked with the lamb stock and butter to make for a moist pulao with succulent lamb pieces. A celebratory dish that’s rich, tasty and lightly spiced; making the basmati grains stand out as the star of the dish.


Ingredients

600gms shoulder of lamb on the bone cut in medium sized pieces
1 medium sized onion roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
5 green cardamoms
1 cinnamon stick
4-5 cloves
water enough to cover all the meat (about a litre)
For the pulao;
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 bay leaves
1 inch cinnamon stick broken in half
5 green cardamom pods
2 medium onions thinly sliced
1 heaped tbsp ginger paste
2 heaped tbsp garlic paste
1 tsp nutmeg powder
350gms Tilda Pure Basmati Rice
600mls lamb stock
Salt to taste


Method:

Tie up the onion and all the whole spices securing with a string. Cook it with the meat and water in a stockpot over a hob bring to a boil and simmer for an hour and 15 minutes. The stock along with the meat and spices can be left in the pot overnight which will enhance the flavours.

The following day discard the muslin with its contents, separate the meat from the stock and set aside.
To cook the Yakhni Pulao;

Prepare the rice by soaking for at least 30 minutes and rinsing in a sieve until the water runs clear.
Heat the butter and oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon and cardamom pods. Fry them for a minute as they sizzle and release their flavours in the oil. Add the sliced onions. Fry the onions on medium heat till they soften and are a light golden brown.

Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook through for a couple of minutes. Now to the pan add nutmeg powder stirring well for a few seconds making sure the powder does not burn.

Mix in the cooked lamb and the rice. Season with salt and stir, add the stock and mix well. Cover and cook on low heat for about 20 minutes or so until the rice is completely cooked. Turn the heat off and garnish with fresh coriander. Serve warm with mint raita.

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