Beef yakhni pulao with long-grain rice and chunks of beef on a white plate.
THE RIZQ FOODSDERA GHAZI KHAN
Recipes

Beef Yakhni Pulao recipe

Basmati rice absorbs a fragrant whole-spice beef broth, with soft beef pieces and gently sweet browned onions.

An original home-cooking guide from our recipe collection; not an orderable restaurant product. Timings are approximate and may vary with your equipment.

Serves: 4Prep: 25 minCook: 110 min

Ingredients

  • 300 g basmati rice
  • 600 g boneless beef chuck, cut into 3 cm cubes
  • 1 large onion, halved, plus 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 4 green cardamom pods
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil or ghee
  • 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
  • 700–750 ml beef cooking broth, as needed
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
  • Salt, to taste
  • Water, as needed

Method

  1. Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear, soak it in fresh water for 20 minutes, then drain.
  2. Place the beef, halved onion, ginger-garlic paste, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, cumin seeds, bay leaf, and salt in a pot with 1.2 litres of water.
  3. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then cover and simmer gently for 75–90 minutes, until the beef is tender. Add water during cooking if needed to keep the beef covered.
  4. Strain the broth into a bowl and reserve the whole spices if desired. Set the beef aside; measure 700–750 ml broth, adding hot water if needed.
  5. Heat the oil or ghee in a heavy pot and fry the sliced onion until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and cook for 1 minute.
  6. Add the cooked beef and stir gently for 2 minutes, then pour in the measured broth and bring it to a boil. Taste and adjust the salt.
  7. Stir in the drained rice and cilantro, distribute the beef evenly, then cover tightly and cook over low heat for 18–20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
  8. Turn off the heat and rest the pulao, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork and serve.

Kitchen notes

  • Beef simmering time varies by cut; cook until fork-tender before adding rice.
  • For a clearer broth, skim the pot as it comes to a boil and strain carefully.
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