Meat or Chicken in Yogurt Gravy

This rich and tangy Parsi-style curry features tender pieces of meat or chicken simmered in a luxurious, thick yogurt gravy. The dish builds layers of flavor by first searing the meat with aromatics, then finishing it in a separate base of golden-fried onions, fresh cilantro, and green chilies blended with strained curd. Infused with warming black pepper and finished with aromatic garam masala, this 'Dahi Ma' preparation offers a delightful balance of creaminess and spice that pairs perfectly with roti or rice.

Ingredients

2 pounds Chicken (cut into pieces) or Mutton (Originally '1 chicken' or equivalent meat.)
1 1/2 cups Ghee (Divided use (for frying meat and for the yogurt base). Originally measured in 'pasher'.)
4 cups Onions (Finely sliced. Divided use. Originally approx 0.5 sher total.)
1 tablespoon Ginger paste (Originally 0.5 tola.)
1 teaspoon Garlic paste (Originally 0.25 tola.)
2 teaspoons Salt (Or to taste. Originally 1 tola.)
2 bunches Fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) (Washed and finely chopped.)
2 large Green chilies (Finely chopped.)
1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Originally '1 flat spoonful'.)
1 teaspoon Black pepper powder (Originally '1 flat spoonful'.)
4 cups Thick Yogurt (Greek style or strained curd) (Originally '2 sher' with water removed. Ensure yogurt is thick and not watery.)
1 teaspoon Garam masala (Originally 0.25 tola.)
2 1/2 cups Water (For cooking the meat. Originally 1.25 sher.)

Instructions

1Clean the meat or chicken thoroughly and cut into pieces. Wash twice with cold water. Peel and crush the ginger and garlic. Finely slice about 1/3 of the onions (approx 1 cup).
2In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat about 1/2 cup of ghee. Add the 1 cup of sliced onions and stir constantly until they turn red/brown. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and sauté until aromatic and reddish. Add the meat and salt, mixing well. Cover and cook for a short while, uncovering occasionally to stir, until the meat browns and its natural juices dry up.
3Once the meat has seared ('tatare'), pour in the water (approx 2.5 cups). Cover and cook on low heat until the meat is tender and the water has mostly evaporated, leaving the meat in a thick gravy or just its fat. Remove from heat and set aside.
4Finely slice the remaining onions (approx 3 cups). In a separate large non-reactive pot (stainless steel or enameled), heat the remaining 1 cup of ghee. Fry the onions until they are red and crisp. Add the turmeric powder, black pepper powder, chopped cilantro, chopped green chilies, and the thick yogurt (ensure any excess whey is drained beforehand). Mix well.
5Add the cooked meat (from Step 3) along with all its ghee and juices into the yogurt mixture. Stir well to combine. Cover the pot tightly. Cook on low heat (simmer) until the liquid reduces and the sauce thickens significantly. The original method suggests placing coals on the lid for even heating, but a low simmer on the stove works well.
6Once the water has evaporated and the curry is thick, remove from heat. Sprinkle the garam masala over the top. Serve hot.