Topic: Akhni/Yakhni

[Peripatetic Phil]

I don't think that I was really aware of akhni stock until the recent discussion about "++++MDB’s Birmingham Balti Gravy 100% Clone Al Frash Balti Restaurant ++++", but I just happened to be looking at the menu from one of my local T/A BIRs ("Victoria Indian To Go") and noticed that under "Rice" it offered "Yakhni Pilau", described as "Basmati rice cooked in home-made stock and peppercorns".  Now I think it is pretty clear that MDB's "akhni" and VITG's "yakhni" are one and the same thing, so I wonder whether anyone else has encountered "akhni pilau" or "yakhni pilau" on a BIR menu ?
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** Phil.

[mickdabass]

Hi Phil

Wasn't it you that had a Eureka moment a year or two ago, and used akhni stock to enhance the flavour of pilau rice ?

Regards

Mick

[Peripatetic Phil]

Wasn't it you that had a Eureka moment a year or two ago, and used akhni stock to enhance the flavour of pilau rice ?

I don't remember doing so, Mick, but these days I can barely remember what I did yesterday, so it is not beyond the realms of possibility.  For some time now my preferred (indeed, sole) method of making pulao rice has been to bhoon the whole spices in ghee, bhoon the basmati rice in the ghee/spice mix, add boiling water and a little salt, then cook using the evaporation method (originally in a microwave oven, now in an "Instant Pot" clone).  Would this count as "us[ing] akhni stock to enhance the flavour" ?

P.S.  A site search for "akhni" + "pilau" shews two users who have reported on that combination — Cory Ander and Jerry M.
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** Phil.

[Kashmiri Bob]

Not seen YP on BIR menus before Phil.  Laziza do a packet version that I have used a few times for trad style one-pots.  On-the-bone chicken stuff.  Always came out well.  I've had to give up rice, which I do actually miss, quite a bit.

Rob

[mickdabass]

Wasn't it you that had a Eureka moment a year or two ago, and used akhni stock to enhance the flavour of pilau rice ?

I don't remember doing so, Mick, but these days I can barely remember what I did yesterday, so it is not beyond the realms of possibility.  For some time now my preferred (indeed, sole) method of making pulao rice has been to bhoon the whole spices in ghee, bhoon the basmati rice in the ghee/spice mix, add boiling water and a little salt, then cook using the evaporation method (originally in a microwave oven, now in an "Instant Pot" clone).  Would this count as "us[ing] akhni stock to enhance the flavour" ?

P.S.  A site search for "akhni" + "pilau" shews two users who have reported on that combination — Cory Ander and Jerry M.
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** Phil.

Hi Phil

a quick search and I came up with this:

https://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=15428.msg136702#msg136702

The only reason I remembered was because at the time I was working on my balti gravy and realised after reading your post that the only way I was ever going to get the large volume of whole spices into the gravy without spending a lifetime picking them out afterwards was making an akhni stock

Regards

Mick

[Peripatetic Phil]

Ah ...  Sadly the post would appear to have become truncated (bit-rot ?) as there is no mention of what I did to achieve this aim, and there is no final period after "aroma" ...

Once I started making pulao rice using a microwave oven, I never looked back, and my pulao is in most respects as good as I have eaten.  But when Ganesha opened in Bodmin, and I compared their pulao rice with mine, I was sure that theirs was better and I began to wonder why ...  I finally reached the conclusion that while the taste and appearance of mine was as good as Ganesha's, theirs was better in terms of aroma
« Last Edit: 30 March 2020, 12:27:10 by Peripatetic Phil »

[Robbo141]

I’ve seen a number of references to the stock in various spellings.  I subscribed to Latif’s channel a while back. Excellent recipes, particularly the non-base versions.
https://youtu.be/xy-r5AdrHkE

Also, hot off the press.

https://youtu.be/6xTNj8YZR7I

Robbo

[mickdabass]

Ah ...  Sadly the post would appear to have become truncated (bit-rot ?) as there is no mention of what I did to achieve this aim, and there is no final period after "aroma" ...

Once I started making pulao rice using a microwave oven, I never looked back, and my pulao is in most respects as good as I have eaten.  But when Ganesha opened in Bodmin, and I compared their pulao rice with mine, I was sure that theirs was better and I began to wonder why ...  I finally reached the conclusion that while the taste and appearance of mine was as good as Ganesha's, theirs was better in terms of aroma
« Last Edit: 30 March 2020, 12:27:10 by Peripatetic Phil »

Hi Phil

From memory I recall you added a small quantity of akhni stock to the rice before reheating. Not sure of the quantity, but I think it was pretty minimal - maybe 1-2 tbsp if thats any help? Perhaps you kept some notes? although if youre anything like me you didnt bother as you assumed once your results were posted on the forum, they would be there forever and a day.

Its very concerning as to how many other posts are subject to BitRot

Regards

Mick

[George]

Ah ...  Sadly the post would appear to have become truncated (bit-rot ?) as there is no mention of what I did to achieve this aim, and there is no final period after "aroma" ...

Which post has been truncated? I downloaded your pilau method in 2014-2015 if that may be of help.

[Peripatetic Phil]

This one, George, dated March 2020 ...