Meat or Chicken with French Beans
This traditional Parsi-style stew combines tender meat or chicken with finely sliced French beans for a rich, textural experience. The dish features a luxurious base of caramelized onions and ghee, slow-cooked until the meat is succulent and the beans melt into the savory gravy. Enhanced with aromatic ginger, garlic, and fresh herbs, it offers a comforting balance of earthy vegetables and hearty protein, perfect for serving with rotis or rice.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Lamb, Mutton, or Chicken (cut into pieces) (Originally '1 ratthal' (approx 1 lb). Use tender meat.)
- 2 pounds French Beans (fresh and tender) (Originally '1 seer'. Must be strung and cut very finely like sev (vermicelli).)
- 3 pounds Pearl Onions or Shallots (peeled) (Originally '1.5 seer'. These are left whole or halved.)
- 1 pound Large Onions (finely sliced) (Originally '0.5 seer'.)
- 1 1/2 cups Ghee (Originally '1.5 pasher'. Can reduce quantity for modern preference.)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Salt (Originally '1.5 tola'. Adjust to taste.)
- 1 tablespoon Ginger paste (Originally '0.5 tola' ginger.)
- 1 tablespoon Garlic paste (Originally '0.5 tola' garlic.)
- 5 cups Water (Originally '1.25 seer'. Use hot water.)
- 1 cup Fresh Coriander leaves (Originally '3 bunches'. Chopped or ground into paste.)
- 3 whole Green Chilies (Finely chopped or ground.)
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper powder
Instructions
- 1Clean the meat or chicken and cut into pieces; wash twice with cold water. Remove the strings from the French beans and cut them very finely, resembling sev (vermicelli). Peel the pearl onions (small onions) and soak them along with the cut beans in cold water. Peel and finely slice the large onions. Crush or grind the ginger and garlic.
- 2If using the masala variation (recommended for flavor), grind the fresh coriander leaves and green chilies into a paste or chop them very finely. Set aside with the turmeric and black pepper.
- 3In a heavy-bottomed pot (tinned vessel), heat the ghee. Fry the sliced large onions until they turn red/golden brown. Add the ginger and garlic paste and sauté briefly until aromatic.
- 4Add the meat (or chicken), the drained French beans, the drained pearl onions, and salt to the pot. Mix well with a spoon. Cover the pot and cook on a low flame (slow fire). Open occasionally to stir. Continue cooking until the internal moisture evaporates and the mixture begins to sizzle (fry) in the fat. If using the masala paste (coriander/chilies/turmeric/pepper), add it now while the meat is sizzling.
- 5Once the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is frying, pour in about 5 cups (1.25 seer) of water. Cover tightly. If the water evaporates before the meat is tender, add more hot water (pour it on the lid first to warm it, then into the pot) as needed. Cook until the meat is fully tender and the beans are soft.
- 6When the meat is cooked through, place the pot on very low heat (embers) and simmer until the ghee separates and floats on top. Do not let the dish become completely dry; it should have a thick gravy. Remove from heat and serve.