Ingredients

· ½ kg mutton or beef

· Oil

· ½ tsp cumin seeds

· 2-inch piece of ginger, grated

· 1 whole bulb of garlic

· 4-5 cloves

· 1inch piece cinnamon

· 6-8 black pepper

· 3-4 black cardamom

· 2-3 bay leaves

· 5-6 onion, thinly sliced

· A pinch of saffron

· 3tbsp milk

· 3 cups rice

· 2tbsp ghee

· 4tbsp yogurt

· 1tsp garam masala

· 4-5 drops kewra essence

Method

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Tie cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, black cardamom and bay leaves together in a white cotton cloth. Heat two tablespoons oil in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. Then add in the meat, ginger, garlic, salt, four cups of water and the tied cloth. Pressure cook till the meat is nicely done (approximately one whistle on high heat) then reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Let the mixture cool for some time. Squeeze the cloth and garlic bulb to extract maximum flavours. Pass the meat through a strainer and reserve the stock, keep aside.

Fry the onions until golden brown. Soak the saffron in milk and keep aside. In a large, thick-bottomed pan, heat ghee; add the meat, yogurt, garam masala and little more than half of fried onions. Fry for a few minutes. Strain the rice and add to the pan. Measure the stock and add water to it to make six cups.

Add it to the pan along with kewra essence and salt, and cover the pan tightly. Seal the edges with some dough (optional). Dim the heat to low and cook the rice until nicely done. Add saffron soaked in milk over the rice and cover for 10 minutes. Fluff the yakhni pulao gently with a fork. Garnish with golden fried onions and serve hot with raita.