🫕One pot method
This recipe is an easy spin on the traditional Yakhni Pulao, which is the method I’ve used in my Chicken Pulao recipe here. In the traditional recipe, you simmer the meat, aromatics and whole spices into a stock until they are cooked before sifting out the whole spices and proceeding to separately brown onions, adding the meat and then the stock from the initial simmering stage, before adding the rice and steaming till cooked. I have used this method for a long time However, the Yakhni method takes time and my biggest issue is: it takes up a lot of my kitchen utensils! You use two pots - one for the simmering of the stock and one for the browning/steaming, and you also need a colander to sift out the whole spices. Whenever I would venture into the kitchen for a Pulao dinner, my kitchen sink would be overflowing! And not to mention the pain of having to separate the meat from the whole spices which would usually be clinging on! Eventually, I decided that I really shouldn’t need to be doing this every time I want to make a chicken or lamb Pulao, which is often! Since beginning to make my Pulao this way, I have honestly found that…
- I am making NO compromises on flavour. The whole spices which infuse their beautiful aroma into the Pulao get the same amount of simmer time in this method as the original method, therefore we are NOT skimping on flavour
- I save SO much time and effort with this method. Before, deciding to make a Pulao would honestly mean I would be embarking on a small mission. Now, a Pulao is a dinner I can start up easily knowing I’m only going to be using one pot and minimal effort
- I ENJOY making Pulao so much! The ease of it adds such an element of joy, knowing how good it is going to turn out without needing to go through so much hassle of sifting everything out and picking out the whole spices. If you’ve made Pulao the traditional way, you will know the sifting seriously isn’t the most fun thing to do! Now, how do we get our Lamb Pulao to become a one-pot wonder? It’s actually a no-brainer! So simple, but a complete game changer! You use a muslin cloth to wrap your whole spices in! You make a little potli as we say in Urdu, a little packet tied up, filled with all your whole spices and add that in during the yakhni (broth) making process. The muslin cloth allows the flavours to be released into our yakhni without having to deal with the whole spices. Once you add your rice, you can remove the muslin potli, after squeezing out all the flavour you possibly can of course, and wallah! We have a one-pot Pulao all ready to go with as minimal effort as it gets!
🥣Method
As always, full quantities and instructions are listed at the bottom of the post. Another thing I love about Pulao is just how forgiving it is. If you don’t have a certain spice on hand there is no compulsion to have to use it. You can certainly omit certain spices if you don’t have them to hand - it is totally understand if one doesn’t have all these spices in their whole form. Of course, that isn’t to say you should purposely omit any of the whole spices in this recipe, or to say they don’t make a difference. It is a combination of all these flavours and spices that meld together to create this perfect meal. I personally feel like a Pulao is incomplete without cumin, black pepper, coriander seeds and cinnamon. Cloves and both kinds of cardamom, though used in a small quantity, do make an impact on the overall flavour and I don’t make my Pulao without them. At most, I will leave out the bay-leaf or star anise if I don’t have them to hand. Firstly, prepare the spice cloth by tying the whole spices in a clean muslin cloth. Alternatively, use a mesh spice infuser. We’ll start by adding some oil into a deep pot, and then adding in sliced onions. Brown this, stirring often so they colour evenly. Once the onions are lightly golden, add in the cumin seeds, ginger and garlic. Fry for 1-2 more minutes. Add the lamb in, and continue to brown this alongside the other ingredients until the lamb chances colour and no longer remains pink and the onions turn a dark brown- about 5 minutes. Stir constantly, to ensure everything browns evenly. Once browned, add the spices (tied in the muslin or spice infuser), salt and 5 ½ cups (1.3l) water. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook for 45 minutes on low heat. After 45 minutes, uncover and add in the basmati rice. Turn the heat up to high and cook the rice, stirring often using a folding motion to ensure you don’t break any rice grains. Continue to dry it out until most of the water has dried out and the rice is 80% done - about 8-10 minutes. Once at this stage, turn the heat down to very low, cover with a tight-fitting lid (ideally lined with a tea towel) and allow this 15-20 minutes, undisturbed. Fluff up with a fork, and serve immediately!
What if I don’t have a cloth?
On a final note, I would like to say if you don’t have a muslin cloth, then you can certainly add the whole spices to your yakhni directly and fish them out afterwards using a slotted spoon, as the whole spices do have a tendency to float to the top. This is a slightly laborious method and won’t result in having removed all the whole spices. I have done this before and whilst I managed it, it wasn’t the best and it probably would have been easier to sift them out with a colander like in the traditional method. Alternatively, you can grind the spices into a powder and add them at the same time you add the ginger/garlic in step 2. I do not personally like this method as I find the spices leave a grainy feel on the rice and they also darken the rice into an unattractive peppery shade. Ideally, however, you should use a muslin cloth (or any clean cloth with permeability will do too) So, without further ado, my favourite meal ever. Serve up alongside a simple side of yogurt whisked with a sprinkle of salt or your favourite raita. A salad also does wonders! If you are feeling ambitious, Shami Kebabs alongside Pulao is a classic combination. Enjoy, with love x
📋 Recipe
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