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Pilaf or pulao
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5 from 1 vote

Punjabi Yakhni Pulao

Punjabi Yakhni Pulao, also called pilaf in some countries, is a comfort meal that has tender meat and soft rice that are packed with flavors as they are cooked in broth.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Afghani, Indian, Pakistani
Keyword: Goat Pulao, Lamb Pulao, Pilaf, Polao, Punjabi Yakhni Pulao
Servings: 8
Calories: 720kcal
Author: Saba Ahmad

Ingredients

Ingredients for Yakhni/Broth

  • 2 lbs lamb or goat meat
  • 3.5 tsp salt
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 medium onion cut into big chunks

Whole Spices

Ingredients for Rice

  • 1 small onion thinly sliced
  • 3 cups basmati rice aged long grain
  • 1/2 cup olive oil or any other vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • salt add more after tasting
  • 1/2 cup yogurt
  • 4.5 cups broth from step 1
  • 5 whole green chilies optional
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare Broth/Yakhni

  • In a pot, add 2 lbs lamb , 3.5 tsp salt, ginger, garlic, and a medium onion with all of the whole spices. Add 6 cups waterr. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes and then on medium heat for 45 minutes or until the meat is tender.
  • If you want to use a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot, then add 5 cups of water and pressure cook for 20 minutes.
  • Release the pressure before opening the pot, and then separate the broth and meat.

Cook Rice

  • Wash your basmati rice and let it soak in water for at least 30 minutes.
  • Peel and thinly slice onions.
  • In a pot, add oil and thinly sliced onions. Cook on medium heat until they are light golden brown.
  • Now add cooked meat, cumin seeds, yogurt, red chili powder, and green chilies to the browned onions and cook for about 5-6 minutes.
  • Add your reserved broth. If you don't have enough broth, then add water to make a total of 4.5 cups.
  • Discard the water from soaked rice and add the rice to the broth.
  • Taste test for salt, broth will be a bit salty at this point. Cook on high heat until most of the water is dry.
  • Cover the pot and cook on high heat until most of the water is dry.
  • Once most of the water is dry and you can see bubbles on the surface, lower the heat, sprinkle garam masala, and cover the pot with a paper towel and a lid. Steam it on low heat for 10-12 minutes.
  • Fluff the rice with a fork and enjoy.

Notes

If you are cooking in a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot change the quantity of the water accordingly. For pressure cooking, cook the meat for only 20 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 720kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 764mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 326IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 3mg