Kashmiri Yakhni
Tender mutton simmered in a pale, silky yogurt gravy scented with fennel, dry ginger and cardamom. It is mild, aromatic and made without turmeric or chilli.
Ingredients
Equipment: Heavy-bottomed pot with a lid (or a pressure cooker), whisk, wooden spoon
Method
Whisk the yogurt in a bowl until completely smooth. Stir in the fennel powder and dry ginger powder and leave the bowl on the counter so the yogurt loses its chill.
Heat the ghee in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the asafoetida, green and black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and peppercorns, and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the mutton and salt. Stir often for about 5 minutes until the meat turns pale brown on the outside and the raw pink is gone.
Pour in the water and bring to a boil, skimming off any grey foam. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 55 minutes, until the meat is tender and pulls easily from the bone.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it stop bubbling for 2 minutes. Stir 3 to 4 spoonfuls of the hot stock into the spiced yogurt to warm it gently.
Pour the yogurt mixture into the pot in a slow stream, stirring constantly. Return to very low heat.
Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the gravy is thick enough to coat a spoon and droplets of ghee shimmer on the surface. Do not let it boil hard or the yogurt may split.
Sprinkle over the crushed mint, cover and rest for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt before serving.
Cooking tips
- Use full-fat yogurt at room temperature and keep the heat low after adding it. This is the best way to prevent curdling.
- Yakhni is meant to be pale and gently spiced. Skip turmeric and chilli powder to keep the colour and the fennel-ginger flavour clear.
- Bone-in meat gives the gravy body. Goat may need 15 to 20 minutes longer, so check tenderness before adding the yogurt.
- In a pressure cooker, cook the meat with the water for about 25 minutes after the first whistle, then finish the yogurt step in an open pot.
Substitutions
- Replace mutton with bone-in beef shank or lamb shoulder, adjusting the simmering time until tender.
- Use mustard oil instead of ghee for a sharper, more traditional Kashmiri flavour; heat it until it just smokes, then cool slightly before use.
- If you have no dry ginger powder, use 2 tsp freshly grated ginger, though the flavour will be sharper.
- Use ground fennel from whole saunf if fennel powder is unavailable: toast 1.5 tbsp seeds briefly and grind them fine.
Serve with
"Serve with plain steamed rice, which soaks up the gravy well. A simple salad of sliced onion and radish, and a piece of naan or roti on the side, works nicely."
Storage
Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It can be frozen for up to 2 months, though the yogurt sauce may look slightly grainy after thawing.
Reheating
Warm gently in a pot over low heat with a splash of water, stirring often, until steaming hot throughout. Avoid boiling hard, which can split the sauce.
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Estimated from the ingredient list. Values vary with brands and portion size.
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