Why this recipe works
Yakhni shows the quiet side of Kashmiri cooking. There is no fried onion or tomato base, the gravy is yogurt, which must go in off the heat or it splits, and the flavour comes from fennel, dry ginger and cardamom. The fennel and dry ginger are not only aroma, they are the classic digestives that suit rich meat.
Ingredients
Method
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1
Cook the mutton with the whole spices until tender.
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2
Lower the heat and whisk in the yogurt gradually.
Why off the heat: yogurt splits into grainy curds if it boils, so it goes in low and whisked, keeping the gravy smooth and white.
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3
Add fennel and dry ginger and simmer gently.
Why fennel and dry ginger: beyond the Kashmiri aroma, both are traditional digestives that help the body handle rich meat.
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4
Finish with mint.
An honest word
Yakhni is one of the lighter mutton curries: no fried-onion base and a yogurt gravy make it gentler than most, and the yogurt even adds a little protein and calcium. It is still meat cooked with some ghee, so keep the ghee modest and choose leaner mutton. Refined, mild and soothing, it is a lovely change from fierier curries.