Yakhni – Curl up with hot bowl of ultra-soothing Yakhni; bone-in goat or beef cook with aromatics and spices to create a wonderfully warm and healthy broth.
WHAT IS YAKHNI?
In Hindi and Urdu, ‘yakhni’ means stock or broth. Yakhni comes together by simmering bones with a bit of meat in a pressure cooker or stockpot for an extended period. Eat the fragrant broth as is, or use it as a base for popular meals like Yakhni Pulao.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- Ghee: Fry onions in ghee to create a rich, nutty flavor.
- Onion: Onions flavor and add bulk to the broth.
- Garlic: I suggest using four cloves, but don’t let my recipe tell you how much garlic to use- measure with your heart.
- Ginger: Garnish with ginger and add it to the soup; bites with fresh ginger are my favorite!
- Green Chili: Add heat that doesn’t overwhelm with green chilies.
- Cinnamon Stick: Impart flavor and aromatics with a broken down cinnamon stick. I don’t recommend replacing the cinnamon stick with ground cinnamon since that will alter the flavor of the broth.
- Mutton: The purpose of yakhni is to consume the nutrients from bone-in meat. I prefer to use goat because we re-purpose the meat to make a Mutton Yakhni Pulao. And who doesn’t love getting two meals out of one?
- Whole Spices: I use homemade yakhni masala with fresh whole spices like black cardamon, green cardamon, black cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, star anise, and bay leaves.
- Salt: Taste and season the bone broth with salt.
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If you love this recipe, try one of our other tasty Soups and Stews!
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Cilantro
- Onion Slices
- Lemon Wedges
- Ginger
- Chapati, Naan, Roti
- Green Chili
WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS
- Refrigerate – If you have a thick layer of solidified fat on top of the soup once it’s cool, then refrigerate the bone broth for up to 2 weeks. If not, it will keep for 3-4 days.
- Freeze – Allow the soup to cool, then add it to a freezer-safe container or bag. I freeze it in individual bags to make defrosting it easier. Yakhni freezes for 3 months.
- Thaw: When you’re ready to eat it, let it defrost in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat – Warm leftovers on the stovetop or microwave, prepare your fresh toppings, and enjoy.
- Repurpose – Add a few pieces of mutton to the yakhni and eat it as a soup, or reserve some of the broth and add it to rice to make Mutton Yakhni Pulao. You can also use our bone broth as a base for other soups and stews.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the benefits of yakhni?
Mutton and whole spices simmer to create the broth, leaving a tasty and mineral-dense soup for you to enjoy. One of the main ingredients of yakhni is the bones the broth cooks in. Bones contain collagen, a protein essential for hair, nail, and joint wellness. Yakhni is highly nutritious and a meal all on its own. As a result, it has soothing qualities, helpful for those with colds, stomachaches, and morning sickness.
I was pregnant when my mother-in-law first suggested making me yakhni. By this point, I had been hospitalized twice due to sickness and dehydration- I couldn’t keep down food, and everything made me nauseous. Finally, I let her make it for me, and I am forever grateful! The soup became a regular meal throughout my pregnancy, and lucky for me, my mother-in-law would make yakhni in large batches and freeze it when she would visit. To this day, there are few things more comforting than yakhni.
Can I make yakhni on the stovetop?
1. Warm ghee in a stockpot or Dutch oven. Add onion and fry until the onions become soft and translucent.
2. While onions are cooking, add the spices to the spice ball. Set it aside.
3. Add the garlic cloves, ginger paste, green chilis, and cinnamon stick; cook until aromatic.
4. Rinse the goat meat and bones, and add them to the pot; fry for one minute. Then, stir in the water and salt.
5. Add the spice ball, cover, and cook over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 hours with the lid slightly ajar.
7. You will have tender goat pieces after making the soup. I reserve the meat and broth separately to make a favorite of our family- a dish called yakhni pulao. If you plan to do this, set aside 1 1/2 cups of yakhni broth and the goat or lamb pieces.
8. Add the broth to a bowl or mug to serve, and garnish with extra ginger, cilantro, and lemon slices. Enjoy!
Is this recipe keto? Is it low-carb?
Yakhni is keto and low-carb and packed full of nutrients to help with that all-too-common keto flu. I calculated the macros to make it easier for you.
• Carbs – 2 Net Carbs
• Protein – 16g
• Fat – 3g
YOU SHOULD ALSO TRY:
- Moong Dal (Instant Pot and Stovetop)
- Karahi Gosht (Lamb or Mutton Karahi)
- Aloo Keema (Ground Beef and Potatoes)
- And more Indian and Pakistani favorites!
Yakhni (Bone Broth)
Ingredients
For the Yakhni:
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 6 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
- 2 – inch fresh ginger, julienne
- 2-3 green chilies, slit lengthwise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 pound goat, washed and cut into 1-inch pieces, plus extra bones if you have them
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 lemon, to garnish
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped, to garnish
For the Yakhni Masala:
- 4 black cardamom, lightly crushed
- 2 green cardamom,
- 6 black cloves
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Warm ghee In the Instant Pot on saute mode. Add onion and cook until the onions become soft and translucent.
- While onions are cooking, add the whole spices to the spice ball. Set aside.
- Add the garlic cloves, ginger paste, green chilies, and cinnamon stick to the Instant Pot. Cook until aromatic.
- Next, rinse the goat meat and bones; add them to the pot. Fry on saute mode for 1 minute.
- Add water and salt. Stir to combine.
- Lastly, add the spice ball to the Instant Pot, secure the lid, and cook on manual high pressure for 40 minutes with a quick release.
- You will have tender goat pieces after making the soup. I reserve the meat and broth separately to make a favorite of our family- a dish called yakhni pulao. If you choose to go that route, be sure to set aside 1 1/2 cup of the yakhni broth along with the meat.
- Add the broth to a bowl or mug to serve, and garnish with extra ginger, cilantro, and lemon slices. Enjoy!
Notes
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
Shariq
Sunday 16th of October 2022
This yakhni tastes just like our family recipe which my mom used in Pakistan. It's so refreshing on cooler days and not to mention healthy if you are following a keto or paleo diet. Bone broth provides so many quality minerals, collagen, and protein.