Yakhni Pulao
Yesterday I was discussing on Instagram, the difference between Biryani and Yakhni Pulao and why the latter is closer to my heart. So taking this thread further.
Yakhni word first found its mention in the Persian journal “Ain-e-akbari” during the regime of Akbar the great. Abul Fazl was the great historian and author of this priceless journal.
Yakhni pulao is made by first cooking the mutton in the traditional way with lot of dry aromatic spices like cloves, pepper, cinnamon, badi elaichi, chhoti elaichi, etc and wet masala like ginger garlic onion paste. After it’s cooked, we need to add measured water to it. Once it’s boiling we add the pre-soaked rice. Don’t forget the pudina leaves before closing the lid of pressure cooker.
We used to eat this almost every Sunday during my childhood. My mom was an amazing cook and this was one of her trademark dishes. I spent a significant part of my childhood in the coastal town of Berhampur in Odisha. For picnics, we often used to go to the nearby Gopalpur beach and we used carry this Yakhni Biryani in steel wala tiffin-boxes. After frolicking in the silvery beach for sometime, we used to spread a bed-sheet on the sands and the lavish fare of Yakhni was laid out. Such beautiful memories. I still remember my daddy’s dark green Bajaj scooter and how we all used to pile on it like sardines! I was the youngest so I used to stand in front of my Daddy holding the handle of the scooter!
Wish I had a pic of those trips... It’s interesting how some food item or flavours evoke such strong recollection of old forgotten
Yesterday I was discussing on Instagram, the difference between Biryani and Yakhni Pulao and why the latter is closer to my heart. So taking this thread further.
Yakhni word first found its mention in the Persian journal “Ain-e-akbari” during the regime of Akbar the great. Abul Fazl was the great historian and author of this priceless journal.
Yakhni pulao is made by first cooking the mutton in the traditional way with lot of dry aromatic spices like cloves, pepper, cinnamon, badi elaichi, chhoti elaichi, etc and wet masala like ginger garlic onion paste. After it’s cooked, we need to add measured water to it. Once it’s boiling we add the pre-soaked rice. Don’t forget the pudina leaves before closing the lid of pressure cooker.
We used to eat this almost every Sunday during my childhood. My mom was an amazing cook and this was one of her trademark dishes. I spent a significant part of my childhood in the coastal town of Berhampur in Odisha. For picnics, we often used to go to the nearby Gopalpur beach and we used carry this Yakhni Biryani in steel wala tiffin-boxes. After frolicking in the silvery beach for sometime, we used to spread a bed-sheet on the sands and the lavish fare of Yakhni was laid out. Such beautiful memories. I still remember my daddy’s dark green Bajaj scooter and how we all used to pile on it like sardines! I was the youngest so I used to stand in front of my Daddy holding the handle of the scooter!
Wish I had a pic of those trips... It’s interesting how some food item or flavours evoke such strong recollection of old forgotten
1 comment:
Enjoyed reading... pure nostalgia
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