Kashmiri Yakhni

Ingredients

• 800 g bone-in mutton or lamb, cut into medium pieces, washed and drained
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 black cardamom pod, lightly crushed
• 4 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick (about 5 cm)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 700 ml water
• 1½ tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 cup full-fat plain yogurt, at room temperature
• 1½ tbsp fennel seed powder (saunf)
• 1½ tsp dry ginger powder (sonth)
• 1 tsp dried mint, crushed between the palms

Instructions

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Pour the yogurt mixture into the pot in a slow stream, stirring constantly. Return to very low heat.
7. 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.
8. Sprinkle over the crushed mint, cover and rest for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt before serving.

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.