Yakhni
Yakhni! The name and the dish are both sheer poetry. You would think that a dish as flavorful as this would demand special skills, exotic spices and fairy magic! In reality, it is one of the simplest Indian dishes that requires minimal effort and ingredients. I call this the gentler cousin of Rogan Josh - gentle on the cook and on the palate.
Serve this with basmati rice and add onion chutney for a kick.
Succulent pieces of goat meat cooked in yogurt gravy
- 3 lb Young Goat Meat (Ask your local halal butcher for "puth" or rump pieces)
- 1 cup Plain Yogurt
- 1.5 cup water
- Salt (Vary to taste)
- 3 tsp Fennel Powder
- 1/2 tsp Ginger Powder
- 5-6 Pods Green Cardamom Pods (crushed)
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp Mustard Oil
- 1/4 tsp Hing Powder or 1 pinch pure hing (Disolved in 1/4th cup of warm water.)
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1/2 tsp Shahi jeera/ cumin
- 4-5 Cloves (laung)
- 1 tbsp dried mint, crushed in your palm
In an stove top or Instant Pot, add goat meat, 1.5 cups water, salt, half the ginger powder, fennel powder and green cardamom, all the cinnamon stick and mustard oil. Pressure cook till about 70% done.
I pressure cook for 6 minutes in my 3qt Instant pot or wait for 2-3 whistles in a stove top pressure cooker.Whip up the yogurt, ensuring it has no lumps. Add the remaining fennel powder, ginger powder, green cardamom, mix well and keep aside.
Once pressure has dropped (natural release in IP speak), open the lid and bring to a gentle simmer.
Add the yogurt mixture and bring gravy to gentle simmer, stirring continuously. Add the prepared hing infused water. Simmer, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes or until meat is done.
In a small sauté pan, heat ghee. Add clove, shaahi jeera. Remove from heat and add this tempering to Yakhni. Garnish Yakhni with a sprinkle of crushed dried mint and serve hot with Basmati rice and Onion Chutney.
Add final tempering to Yakhni. Sprinkle dried mint and serve hot with Basmati rice and onion chutney.
