Veg Yakhni Pulao Recipe
Ingredients
For the Yakhni (Broth):
1) 8 cups Water
2) 1 medium-sized Onion (roughly sliced)
3) 1-inch piece of Ginger
4) 7-8 Garlic cloves
5) 2 Green chilies (slit lengthwise)
Whole Spices for Yakhni:
6) 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
7) 1 tbsp Fennel seeds
8) 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
9) 2 large Cardamom pods (crushed)
10) 5-6 small Cardamom pods
11) 5-6 Cloves
12) 1/2 tsp Black pepper
13) 1 large Star anise (or 2 small ones)
14) 2 Bay leaves
15) 3-4 pieces of Cinnamon sticks
16) 1 Mace flower (javitri)
For the Vegetables:
17) 1 cup Oil (or ghee)
18) 4 medium-sized Onions (sliced thinly)
19) 1 tsp Cumin seeds
20) 5-6 Green chilies (slit)
21) 2 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
22) 2 large Potatoes (cut into small pieces)
23) 2 large Carrots (finely chopped)
24) 1 cup French beans
25) 1/2 Cauliflower (cut into slightly large pieces)
26) 2 medium-sized Tomatoes (roughly chopped)
27) 1 cup Frozen peas (or fresh peas)
For the Rice and Broth Mixture:
28) 1 tbsp Salt (adjust to taste)
29) 9 cups of total liquid (6.5 cups of yakhni + 2.5 cups water)
30) 1/2 Lemon (juice)
31) A little of the fried onions (for garnishing)
For Final Touches:
32) A handful of Fresh coriander (chopped)
33) The remaining crispy Fried onions
34) 1 tbsp Desi ghee
35) 4-5 Whole green chilies (for aroma)
Let’s Start Recipe
Today, we are going to make a delicious and flavorful Veg Yakhni Pulao. It’s an easy recipe that you can make for lunch or dinner. This is also an ideal recipe for lunch boxes. You can serve it with dahi raita or kachumber salad. This recipe is perfect for the winter season. Do try it out! Let’s get started with the recipe.
Step 1: Prepare the Yakhni (Broth)
To make the yakhni, first, add 8 cups of water in a large pot. The cup I am using to measure the water is the same cup I’ve used for measuring the rice, which is 5 cups of rice. So, we will start with 8 cups of water and adjust the water later depending on how much yakhni is left.
Now, add:
1) 1 medium-sized onion (roughly sliced)
2) 1-inch piece of ginger
3) 7-8 garlic cloves
4) 2 green chilies, slit lengthwise
Now add the dry whole spices:
1) 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2) 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
3) 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
4) 2 large cardamom pods (crushed)
5) 5-6 small cardamom pods
6) 5-6 cloves
7) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8) 1 large star anise (or 2 small ones)
9) 2 bay leaves
10) 3-4 pieces of cinnamon sticks
11) 1 mace flower (javitri)
Also add 2 tablespoons of salt, adjusting according to the rice.
Increase the flame to high and stir all the ingredients in the water. Once the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Let it cook for 8-10 minutes so that all the flavors from the spices are released into the water. After 10 minutes, strain the yakhni (broth) and set it aside for later use when cooking the rice.
Step 2: Prepare the Vegetables
In a separate pan, add 1 cup of oil (you can also use ghee). Heat the oil on medium-high flame. Once the oil is hot, add 4 medium-sized onions, sliced thinly. Fry the onions until they turn golden brown and crispy. Once they are ready, remove them from the oil and set them aside on a plate. Let them cool down in the fridge for crispiness.
Step 3: Cook the Vegetables
In the same pan with the remaining oil, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Let them crackle. Then add 5-6 slit green chilies and 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for about 1 to 1.5 minutes on low flame until the raw smell of ginger-garlic disappears.
Now add:
1) 2 large potatoes (cut into small pieces)
2) Sauté for 2 minutes on medium-high flame.
After that, add:
1) 2 large carrots (finely chopped)
2) 1 cup French beans
3) 1/2 cauliflower, cut into slightly large pieces
Sauté these vegetables for a few seconds and then cook for 3-4 minutes to get the flavor. After the vegetables are slightly cooked, add:
1) 2 medium-sized tomatoes (roughly chopped)
2) 1 cup frozen peas (if using fresh peas, add them earlier with the other vegetables)
Now, add 1 tablespoon of salt (adjust as needed). Since salt was added to the yakhni earlier, be cautious while adding more salt. Stir well and cook for 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes soften slightly. Do not overcook them as it will change the color of the pulao.
Step 4: Add Yakhni and Water
After cooking the vegetables, add the strained yakhni (broth). The total amount of yakhni is around 6.5 cups. To this, add 2.5 cups of plain water, making the total water content 9 cups. Since the rice was soaked for 1 hour, the water added is slightly less than usual (we typically add double the amount of water to rice). Adjust the amount of water based on how much yakhni you have.
Now add 1/2 lemon juice. This will help make the rice fluffy and fragrant. Add a little of the fried onion and mix well. Increase the heat to high until the water begins to boil. Taste the water and adjust the salt if necessary.
Step 5: Cook the Rice
Once the water starts to boil, let it cook for 4-5 minutes to ensure the vegetables are tender. After 4-5 minutes, add the soaked rice. Stir gently and cover the pot. Cook the rice on medium-high flame for 7-8 minutes until the rice is 80-90% cooked.
After this time, you will notice that the rice has started to rise, and the water has reduced along the sides. Gently stir the rice and then lower the heat to the lowest flame.
Step 6: Final Touches
Top the rice with:
1) Freshly chopped coriander (a handful)
2) The remaining crispy fried onions
3) 1 tablespoon desi ghee (for extra fragrance and fluffiness)
5) 4-5 whole green chilies for aroma
Cover the pot again and cook on low flame for 10-12 minutes. Once done, turn off the heat and leave it covered for an additional 10 minutes.
Step 7: Serve
After the resting time, open the pot and gently fluff the rice with a spoon. The Veg Yakhni Pulao is ready to serve! It’s aromatic, flavorful, and the rice grains are perfectly fluffy.
You can serve this Veg Yakhni Pulao with raita, kachumber, or any side dish of your choice. It’s a flavorful, winter-special dish that’s perfect for lunch or dinner.
Thank You….♥️