Meat or Chicken with Double Beans
A rich and hearty Parsi-style curry combining tender mutton or chicken with creamy double beans (lima beans or kidney beans). This traditional dish features a savory base of caramelized onions, aromatic ginger-garlic paste, and fresh herbs, slow-cooked until the meat falls off the bone and the beans are buttery soft. Best enjoyed with rotis or crusty bread to scoop up the thick, flavorful gravy.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Double beans (Lima beans) or Kidney beans (Dry beans soaked for 15 hours, or use fresh peeled beans. Originally '12 tolas dry' or '1 seer fresh'.)
- 1 1/2 pounds Mutton (goat/lamb) or Chicken (Cut into pieces. Originally '1.5 lbs'.)
- 2 large Onions (Finely sliced. Originally '0.5 seer'.)
- 1/2 cup Ghee (Originally '1.25 pasher'. Can substitute with oil.)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt (Adjust to taste. Originally '1.25 tola'.)
- 1 cup Fresh coriander (cilantro) (Chopped. Originally '4 bunches'.)
- 3 whole Green chilies (Finely chopped. Originally '2 to 3 large'.)
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Originally '1 flat spoonful'.)
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper powder (Originally '1 flat spoonful'.)
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste (Originally '0.5 tola'.)
- 1 teaspoon Garlic paste (Originally '0.5 tola'.)
- 2 1/2 cups Water (Originally '1.25 seer'.)
- 1 teaspoon Coriander-Cumin powder (Dhana-Jiru) (Optional but recommended. Originally '1 heaping spoonful'.)
- 1 pinch Baking soda (Optional, use only if beans are old/tough. Originally 'papadkhar or soda bicarbonate'.)
Instructions
- 1If using dry double beans or kidney beans, soak them in plenty of cold water for 15 hours until they swell. If using fresh beans, peel them. Cut the meat or chicken into pieces and wash twice with cold water. Peel and crush the ginger and garlic into a paste. Wash and finely chop the coriander leaves and green chilies. Peel and slice the onions.
- 2In a heavy-bottomed pot (traditionally a tinned vessel), heat the ghee. Add the sliced onions and fry until they turn red/golden brown. Add the ginger and garlic paste and sauté briefly until aromatic.
- 3Add the meat (or chicken), turmeric, pepper, salt, chopped coriander, green chilies, and the optional coriander-cumin powder. Mix everything thoroughly. If using soaked dry beans, add them now. (Note: If using fresh tender beans, reserve them for later to prevent them from turning into mush).
- 4Pour in the water (approx 2.5 cups). Cover the pot and cook on low heat. To prevent the water inside from evaporating too quickly, you can place water on the lid (a traditional technique). Cook until the meat is half-done. If using fresh beans, add them at this stage. Continue cooking on low heat or embers until the meat and beans are fully tender.
- 5Ensure the dish has a nice thick gravy; do not let it dry out completely. If the beans are old and tough to cook, you may add a pinch of baking soda (or papadkhar) to help them soften, but reduce the salt slightly if doing so. Handle the pot gently by lifting and shaking it rather than stirring vigorously with a spoon to avoid breaking the beans. Serve hot when the gravy is thick and the meat is tender.