Yakhni Pulao
Ingredients
Yakhni (broth):
4 tbsp of cooking oil
1 small yellow onion – roughly cut into chunks
2 lb – bone-in, small cut beef (can use any bone-in meat)
6 cloves garlic
1-2 inch – ginger
1 tbsp – Black cumin seeds
1 tbsp – cumin seeds
1 tbsp – dried coriander seeds
2 tsp – fennel seeds
Small nub of nutmeg
1/4 tsp roughly crushed mace spice
25 whole black peppercorn
1 – star anise
5 – green cardamom
2 – black cardamom
2 – bay leaf
1/2 tbsp – salt
6.5 cups- water
For the Rice:
2 3/4 cup (525g) Royal® Chef’s Secret Basmati rice
5-6 tbsp – cooking oil
2 small yellow onions
2 tbsp – garlic paste
2 tbsp – ginger paste
1 tbsp – salt
1/2 tbsp – black cumin seeds
1/2 tbsp – cumin
1/2 tbsp – dried coriander seeds
1 1/2 tbsp – biryani masala (optional, but add more salt if not using)
1.2 liters – yakhni (broth)
Preparation
- Heat a large pot over medium high heat and add in the oil. Add in the meat, onion, garlic, ginger and all of the spices for the broth.
- Sauté and cook while stirring for a few mins and let the meat brown a bit.
- Pour in the water and turn the heat to high. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover it. Let it cook slowly whilst ensuring the meat gets properly cooked and not too much water evaporates. Stir occasionally and remove the scum off the top.
- Let the broth cook for about 1.5 hours to 2 hours or until the meat has cooked. To check if it is cooked, take a piece of the meat and try to insert a knife in it. If it’s tough and bounces back, it still needs more time. Once you can easily insert a knife into it, it’s done. Turn off the heat.
- To prepare the rice, wash it thoroughly until the water runs clear. Let the rice soak in warm water for 30 mins.
- In the meantime, prepare the rest of your ingredients and preheat your oven to 350 F.
- Remove meat from the broth and place it aside. Strain the broth and discard all the spices.
- While the rice still has 10 minutes left to soak, heat up a large oven safe pot and add in the oil.
- Add in the onion and sauté for a few minutes. Add in the ginger and garlic paste and sauté it until it becomes golden brown in color. Add a few tablespoons of water to let it all uniformly brown and to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Now add in the meat and all of the spices, and stir it all together gently to not tear up any of the meat. If it starts to stick to the pot or gets too toasty, feel free to add in a bit more water. Sauté this for 3-4 minutes and then add in the broth.
- Here you want to taste it and check for the seasonings. Adjust to your preference. A tip from my mom is that it should taste a little over salted because it will get balanced out with the rice.
- Drain out the rice and add it to the broth. Mix gently and turn up the heat to medium high. Let this cook uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the water has dried up.*
- Cover the pot with a lid and place it into the oven for about 20 minutes. After 5 minutes pass, lower the oven temp to 200F. This helps the rice cook through fully and all the flavors become more pronounced.
- After 20 minutes, turn off the oven and just let the pulao stay covered for about 10-15 minutes and remove from the oven. Let it rest for another 10-15 minutes.
- Fluff up the rice gently to not break any grains of rice.*
- Serve with green chutney or raita (yogurt sauce).
Notes:
*To see if the rice is ready to be put into the oven, take a grain of rice and smush it between your fingers. If there’s one tiny little piece that is uncooked then you can proceed and put it into the oven. If there are more than one uncooked pieces when you squish it and it’s not almost cooked through, add a little more water to the rice by sprinkling it evenly on top, cover and let it cook for a few more minutes.
*When mixing/fluffing the rice after it is cooked, make sure you gently mix by scooping from the side in and lifting, and repeat. Otherwise you will break the rice grain
