Yakhni Biryani

“Yakhni” means broth or stock. The meat is cooked with whole spices and the broth is used to cook the biryani.

Ingredients

For the mutton :
1 kg mutton, cut into pieces 
2 Tbsp coriander seeds 
1 onion, roughly chopped 
12 cloves of garlic 
2 bay leaves 
4-5 green cardamoms 
2 cinnamon sticks 
6-7 cloves
Salt, to taste
Water

For the pulao :
3-4 Tbsp oil 
2 bay leaves 
6-7 cloves
4-5 cinnamon sticks 
4-5 green cardamom 
7-8 onions, thinly sliced length-wise 
4 heaped Tbsp ground garlic
1 grated nutmeg 
1 tsp cinnamon powder 
2 cups of basmati rice 
4 cups of mutton stock 
Salt, to taste

Recipe

         Preparing the “Yakhni”

1. Add enough water to a pan.
2. Tie up the onion and all the spices into a small muslin cloth (potli), drop it in the pan.
3. Add meat.
4. Add salt.
5. Cook until meat gets tender.
6. Discard whole spices from the potli
   
   Preparing the "Biryani"
7. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed vessel.
8. Add the whole spices to it. 
9. Once they start spluttering, add onions. 
10. Fry till they turn golden brown in color. 
11. Add garlic paste and stir for some time. 
12. Add nutmeg and cinnamon powder and mix well. 
13. Mix in the cooked mutton and the rice. 
14. Sprinkle salt over it and continue to stir. 
15. Add the mutton stock and mix well. 
16. Cover it with a heavy lid to prevent the steam from escaping. 
17. Cook on low heat for about 15-20 minutes. 

Serve hot with raita or chutney.