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Indian

Kashmiri mutton yakhni

Non-vegetarian

Tender mutton in a pale, delicate yoghurt gravy perfumed with fennel, dried ginger and cardamom — no chilli and no tomato. A cornerstone of Kashmiri cooking.

Kashmiri mutton yakhni is an Indian curry, ready in about 1 hour 50 minutes and made with goat meat, yogurt and fennel seeds. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
15 min
Cook
1 h 35 min
Total
1 h 50 min
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
380

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Put the meat, water, salt, cardamom (opens in a new tab), cloves (opens in a new tab), cinnamon (opens in a new tab) and bay leaves (opens in a new tab) in a pot. Bring to the boil, skim off the scum, then cover and simmer until the meat is almost tender.

    Food safety: Wash hands and surfaces after handling raw meat.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile whisk (opens in a new tab) the yoghurt (opens in a new tab) with the cornstarch (opens in a new tab) until completely smooth and pour it into a separate saucepan (opens in a new tab).

    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Heat the yoghurt (opens in a new tab) over a low heat, stirring constantly in one direction, until it comes to a gentle boil and turns slightly glossy. Stir in the fennel and dry ginger.

    • 10 min
    • low heat

    Keep stirring — the yoghurt only stays smooth if it is never left still while heating.

  4. Step 4

    Ladle about 300 ml of the meat stock into the yoghurt (opens in a new tab), then tip the yoghurt into the meat pot. Simmer uncovered until the meat is fully tender and the gravy coats a spoon.

    • 15 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Meat should be tender and piping hot throughout.

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  5. Step 5

    Heat the ghee (opens in a new tab) in a small pan, add the asafoetida (opens in a new tab) (or the fried shallots (opens in a new tab)) and pour over the curry. Finish with dried mint (opens in a new tab) if you like.

About this dish

Origin
Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India · Well documentedCooked by both Kashmiri Pandit and Muslim communities; Pandit versions use asafoetida instead of onion or shallot.More food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Curries · Main courses
Cooking method
Boiled, Simmered
Taste
mild, aromatic / warmly spiced, creamy, tangy
Diet
No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · Make-ahead
Cook more with
Goat meat · Yogurt · Fennel seeds · Cardamom · Cloves · Cinnamon
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Stock making

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom yogurt, ghee
  • May contain: Wheatfrom asafoetida
  • May contain: Glutenfrom asafoetida

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

380 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 553 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 46%
  • Carbohydrate 9%
  • Fat 45%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy380 kcal69 kcal
Protein43.3 g7.8 g
Carbohydrate8.2 g1.5 g
Net carbohydrate7.2 g1.3 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1 g0.2 g
Fat18.7 g3.4 g
Saturated fat10.2 g1.8 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol149 mg27 mg
Sodium1091 mg197 mg
Salt equivalent2.7 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
947 mg
Calcium
222 mg
Iron
5.8 mg
Magnesium
—
Vitamin A (RAE)
119 µg
Vitamin C
1 mg
Vitamin D
—
Vitamin B12
2.6 µg
Folate (DFE)
18 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: black cardamom, shallot, dried mint.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): asafoetida.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Use full-fat yoghurt; low-fat yoghurt splits easily.

Common mistakes

  • Adding cold yoghurt straight into a boiling pot.

Serve with

  • Serve with plain steamed rice, the traditional Kashmiri pairing.

Storage

  • Keeps 2–3 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Reheat on a low heat, stirring; do not boil hard or the yoghurt may split.

Variations

  • Nadru yakhni: Lotus stem cooked in the same yoghurt gravy — see the separate recipe.
  • Chicken yakhni: Chicken pieces simmered for 25–30 minutes instead of mutton.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Goat meat, bone-in curry pieces750 g
  • Yogurt, full-fat, at room temperature500 g
Used in steps 1, 2

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Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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