Meat or Chicken with Field Beans (Kadva Val)
Tender chunks of lamb or chicken are slow-cooked with fresh field beans (Val) and a vibrant medley of mixed greens in this traditional Parsi stew. The dish begins with a fragrant base of caramelized onions, ginger, and garlic, building layers of flavor with whole pearl onions and aromatic spices. Finished when the ghee separates and the sauce thickens into a rich, savory gravy, this hearty 'Gost Kadvabin' offers a perfect balance of succulent meat, creamy beans, and nutritious greens.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Lamb or Goat meat (or Chicken) (Originally '1 ratal'. Use tender meat, cut into pieces.)
- 1 1/2 pounds Fresh Field Beans (Val) or Lima Beans (Originally '1.5 sher kadvabin na dana'. Use fresh shelled beans.)
- 1 pound Pearl Onions (Small Onions) (Originally '1 sher zina kanda'. Peeled and left whole.)
- 5 tablespoons Ghee (Originally '1.25 pasher'. Approx 1/3 cup.)
- 1 medium Large Onion (Originally '0.25 sher'. Finely sliced.)
- 1 tablespoon Salt (Originally '1.25 tola'. Adjust to taste.)
- 1 tablespoon Ginger paste (Originally '0.75 tola'. Freshly crushed.)
- 2 teaspoons Garlic paste (Originally '0.5 tola'. Freshly crushed.)
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Originally '1 flat spoonful'.)
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper powder (Originally '1 flat spoonful'.)
- 1 cup Fresh Cilantro (Coriander) (Originally '3 bunches'. Chopped.)
- 2 whole Green Chilies (Originally '1 to 3 large green chilies'. Adjust to heat preference.)
- 1 pound Mixed Greens (Spinach, Fenugreek, Dill, Amaranth) (Originally '10 bunches of pachrasi bhaji'. Use a mix of leafy greens.)
- 3 cups Water (Originally '1.5 sher'. Use cold water.)
Instructions
- 1Clean the mixed greens by removing any roots and tough stems. Wash thoroughly in a colander or basket until all dirt is removed. Drain well. Pick the leaves from the stems. Wash the cilantro and green chilies. Finely chop the mixed greens, cilantro, and chilies together. Peel and crush the ginger and garlic into a paste.
- 2Wash the field beans (Val). Peel the small pearl onions and soak them in a bowl of cold water. Clean the meat, cut it into serving-sized pieces, and wash twice with cold water. Peel the large onion and slice it very finely (like vermicelli).
- 3Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot or tinned vessel. Add the finely sliced large onion and fry until it turns a pale red color. Add the ginger and garlic paste and fry until fragrant. Add the meat pieces and salt. Optionally, sauté the meat briefly to sear it, or proceed directly to the next step.
- 4Add the turmeric, black pepper, the chopped greens mixture (greens, cilantro, chilies), and the whole peeled pearl onions to the pot. Pour in the cold water (approx. 3 cups). Cover the pot and cook over a slow fire.
- 5When the meat is nearly tender (about to tear apart), add the field beans (Val). Continue to cook until the water evaporates, the meat is completely tender, and the ghee separates from the masala. The dish should be moist but not watery (slightly loose). Remove from heat and serve.