Farzana's Yakhni Pulao

For Yakhni (stock)

1 lb mutton (cut into pieces)

3 cups water

 1 teaspoon salt

1/2 medium onion (peeled and cut in two pieces)

1/2 teaspoon clove (laung)

1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorn (sabut kali mirch)

2 black cardamom pods (bari elaichi)

2 cinnamon sticks (dalchini)

1 bay leaf (tez patta)

6 garlic cloves (Lehsan)

 2 inches ginger (adrak)

 1 teaspoon coriander seed (sukha dhaniya)

 1 pinch ground nutmeg (jaifal)

 1/4 teaspoon anise (javetri)

2 Green Chillies

For Masala (curry)

1/4 cup oil

 1/4 medium onion (thinly sliced)

 1 teaspoon cumin seed (zeera)

 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste

 1/2 medium tomato (chopped) - optional

 1/2 cup yogurt

 1 teaspoon salt

 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

 1 teaspoon garam masala powder

 2 green cardamoms (choti elaichi)

 1 1/2 teaspoons ground aniseed (saunf)

 1 tablespoon mint leaf (chopped)

Directions:

1.      Mix all ingredients for yakhni. Bring them to a boil and let them boil on medium high heat for 20 minutes or till the mutton gets tender. Strain the yakhni only leaving the mutton in it.

 

       As an alternate method, Make a potli of all spices and all ingredients for yakhni and drop the potli in water and meat to boil. This way you can just take the potli out and squeeze out all the juices out of potli and toss it.

2.       In a pan heat oil. Add sliced onions and fry the onions till they turn golden brown. Take 1/4 out of it and keep aside.

3.       Now add cumin seeds (zeera), ginger garlic paste, tomatoes, salt, red chilly powder & coriander powder to the remaining fried onions and stir fry for 3 minutes.

4.       Next add yogurt, garam masala and green cardamom (choti elaichi). Cook on medium high heat till the tomatoes get tender.

5.       Add anise seed (saunf) and mutton pieces to the masala and let it simmer for another 2 minutes.

6.       Finally pour the masala in the yakhni, already back in the cooking pot. Add rice and cook it uncovered on high heat for 5 minutes or till the water dries up.

7.       Sprinkle the fried onions and mint leaves. Close the pot by tightly covering the pot with foil just where the lid goes making sure no steam passes out. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes or till the rice is done.

8.       Enjoy with chutney or cucumber raita.