Cook With It, Don't Just Sip It: Broth as a Kitchen Base

Most of us have sipped a mug of broth. Fewer have poured it into the pot.

Think about what water does in your everyday cooking. It carries the flavour in pulao, khichdi, dal and soup. Replace that water with a broth that already has bones, vegetables, herbs and spices simmered into it, and the dish tastes deeper without extra steps.

Here is a short, phone-friendly guide to cooking with Kettle & Tonic's Mutton and Chicken Bone Broth.

The one rule: swap, then taste

Wherever a recipe asks for water or stock, use broth. Keep the rest of the recipe as it is.

• First time? Replace half the water with broth. Taste. Next time, go all the way if you like it.
• Measure the broth in a cup, the same way you would measure water.
• Match the broth to the dish. Mutton broth suits rich, spiced rice and gravies. Chicken broth suits lighter, gentler dishes.

Salt: read the label first

This is where cooking with broth can go wrong. Salt in a dish adds up quickly if the liquid already has some.

1. Check the label on your can for the ingredients and salt content. We have not put salt figures in this post, so go by the label on the can in your hand.
2. Taste the broth on its own before you cook with it.
3. Add little or no salt at the start. Cook the dish, then correct the salt at the end.
4. Be careful when you boil a dish down. Less liquid means a stronger taste, salt included.

It is easy to add salt later. It is hard to take it out.

Mutton broth: yakhni-style pulao

A yakhni pulao gets its flavour from a fragrant meat stock. Mutton broth gives you a head start.

You need: 1 cup basmati rice (washed, soaked for 30 minutes), 2 tbsp ghee, 1 bay leaf, 1 small stick of cinnamon, 3 cardamom pods, 4 cloves, 6 peppercorns, 1 sliced onion, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, mutton broth, and salt to taste.

1. Heat the ghee. Add the whole spices and let them sizzle for a few seconds.
2. Add the onion and cook until golden. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste for a minute.
3. Drain the rice and add it. Stir gently for a minute so the grains are coated.
4. Pour in mutton broth, about 1½ cups for every cup of rice. Taste it and add salt only if it needs it.
5. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook on the lowest flame until the rice is done. Rest it for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Tip: Already have cooked mutton pieces? Fold them in at step 4 for a fuller meal. If not, this pulao is lovely with raita and a kachumber salad.

Mutton broth: a quick yakhni-style gravy

Traditional yakhni is a mild, yoghurt-based gravy. This is a simple home version, not a strict recipe.

1. Warm mutton broth in a pan with a few whole spices: cardamom, cloves, a bay leaf and a pinch of saunf (fennel).
2. Add your cooked meat or par-boiled vegetables. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
3. Switch off the flame. Whisk some yoghurt until smooth and stir it in slowly. Taking the pan off the heat first helps stop it splitting.
4. Taste, adjust the salt, and serve with rice or roti.

Chicken broth: everyday dishes

Khichdi

Roast the rice and moong dal in a little ghee. Add cumin, a pinch of turmeric and chicken broth in place of water. Pressure cook as usual. Khichdi usually needs more liquid than plain rice, so add a little extra broth or hot water if it looks thick. Finish with ghee.

Dal

Cook the dal in chicken broth instead of water. Then make your usual tadka with garlic, cumin and red chilli, and pour it over. Taste before adding salt, as the broth and the tadka both add flavour.

A simple clear soup

1. Heat chicken broth in a pot with a little crushed garlic and ginger.
2. Add chopped carrot, beans or spring onion. Simmer until just tender.
3. Finish with black pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
4. Add shredded cooked chicken if you want it to feel like a full meal.

Plain rice

This is the easiest swap. Cook your usual rice using chicken broth in place of the water, in the same ratio you normally use. Add a bay leaf if you like. It goes well with a simple sabzi or curry, and you don't need to do anything else.

Why a shelf-stable can helps on weeknights

Our broths are retort-canned and shelf-stable, made in-house in small batches. That means you can keep a can or two in the kitchen cupboard, with no need for freezer space or advance prep.

It helps on a busy evening. You come home late, nothing is thawed, and you still want dinner to taste like you planned it. Open a can, pour it into the rice or dal, and you are cooking.

For storage after opening, follow the directions on the label.

A small starter plan

• Monday: dal cooked in chicken broth, with plain rice.
• Wednesday: khichdi with chicken broth and a bowl of curd.
• Weekend: mutton yakhni-style pulao for the family.

Start with one dish and see how you like it. If the flavour is too strong, use half broth and half water next time.

Ready to stir it in?

Pick up Mutton Bone Broth for your pulao and gravies, and Chicken Bone Broth for khichdi, dal and soups. Keep a can in your cupboard, and swap it in for water at your next meal.