Vegetable stock enhances not only soups but also rice dishes. Today I am going to share a vegetable and paneer pulav cooked in vegetable stock, and it is the yakhni veg pulav. Check out the full recipe with step-wise pictures.
Last year, I shared yellow paneer curry (not the Thai style curry) for the alphabet Y. This year also I was thinking of recipes similar to yellow curry rice. But while buying the biryani masala, I found Shan brands Punjabi yakhni pilau masala. No, I did not buy that masala, but that gave me the idea of exploring yakhni and yakhni based recipes.
What is Yakhni?
Yakhni means broth or stock. It can be chicken broth or meat broth or veg broth. You can find the usage of meat broth in mutton biryani recipes. So I decided to keep the spices simple and use vegetable stock to make a mild yet simple pulao recipe. That’s how I came up with this yakhni pulao recipe.
Along with veggies, this time I included paneer as well and cooked it along with the rice. But you can fry them separately and add it to the pulav later as well.
Vegetable Broth:
Instead of water, we use vegetable broth or stock to cook the pulav and that’s what yakhni pulao is all about.
I used store-bought vegetable broth for this recipe, but you can use homemade one as well. If you are using store-bought one, check the sodium content and adjust the salt accordingly. I used low-sodium vegetable broth for this recipe.
How to Make Yakhni Veg Pulav?
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2-inch cinnamon
- Three green chilies
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- ½ cup mint leaves
- ¼ cup carrot and peas
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ⅓ cup chopped paneer
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup rice (Washed and soaked for 15 mts and drained)
- 1.25 cups broth
Steps:
- Heat a pressure pan and cooker and add the oil.
- When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and green chilies.
- Saute for 30 seconds and add the chopped onions and cook until it turns translucent.
- Then add the mint leaves and cook until the mint leaves wilt.
- Next add the vegetables, paneer, salt, and garam masala. Mix thoroughly.
- Add the vegetable stock and rice.
- Scrape the bottom and mix it gently.
- Close the pressure cooker lid and put the weight on — Cook for one whistle over medium heat.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally. After opening the pressure cooker lid, allow the rice to cool for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot with any curry or korma or raita.
Recipe Notes-
- Adjust the salt and spices according to your preference.
- I used store-bought vegetable broth, but you can use homemade one as well. You can find my homemade vegetable broth here. Adjust the salt according to the sodium content in the broth.
- Adjust veggies according to your preference, but do not add more than ¾ cup of vegetables.
📖 Recipe
Yakhni Veg Pulav
Ingredients
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2- inch cinnamon
- 3 green chilies
- 1 cup onion chopped
- ½ cup mint leaves
- ¼ cup carrot and peas
- ⅓ cup chopped paneer
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup rice Washed and soaked for 15 mts and drained
- 1.25 cups broth
Instructions
- Heat a pressure pan and cooker and add the oil.
- When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and green chilies.
- Saute for 30 seconds and add the chopped onions and cook until it turns translucent.
- Then add the mint leaves and cook until the mint leaves wilt.
- Next add the vegetables, paneer, salt, and garam masala. Mix thoroughly.
- Add the vegetable stock and rice.
- Scrape the bottom and mix it gently.
- Close the pressure cooker lid and put the weight on — Cook for one whistle over medium heat.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally. After opening the pressure cooker lid, allow the rice to cool for 5 minutes and serve hot with any curry or korma or raita.
Notes
- Adjust the salt and spices according to your preference. I used store-bought vegetable broth, but you can use homemade one as well. You can find my homemade vegetable broth here.
- Adjust the salt according to the sodium content in the broth.
- Adjust veggies according to your preference, but do not add more than ¾ cup of vegetables.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
Sharing vegetarian version of yakhni pulao is amazing version. Looks so healthy and tasty.
Thanks.
Pressure cookers are one of the most preferred for making one pot meals and pulao like this.. so easy and quick…Your veg version of Yakhni Pulao sounds so flavourful and tempting !!
Thank you. :-)
Yakhini veg pulav looks awesome. Love the way you have neatly cut the paneer. I have not bought store bought stock yet, I always take it and put it back. Will try it someday.
Sure. Thanks
Cooking the rice in stock must add so much flavour. I like this version of paneer pulao. An amazing find Vidya.
Thanks, Gayathri.
I also loved using the stock for making the pulao, surely makes it more tastier..its neat adding paneer to the pulao.
Same here. Love cooking rice with stock water. :-)
Yet another flavorful yakhni pulao. I have given up my pressure cooker in favor of Instant Pot :) My husband keeps teasing me that he has spoilt my habits :)
;-) I am using both, not sure when I will give up my stove-top pressure cooker.
Veg version of yakhni pulao looks amazing. Veg broth really enhances the taste of the dish. Perfectly done
Thanks Sushma.
That yakhni pulao looks so perfectly made with each grain standing out. The store bought stock adds a unique flavor to biryani, I guess.
Definitely. :-) Thanks Suma.
I have loved these Pressure Cooker recipes ! I never cook rice in a Pressure Cooker , with this marathon I learnt that method . I still have to master it , but I see that most of you cook in it and it is such a blessing !
The yakhni pulao looks amazing ,
Thanks Vaishali. During our meet lets make any of these biryanis again. :-) I love pressure cooker and instant pot as it makes life easy.