Meat or Chicken with Greens (Bhaji Ma Gosht)
A rich and aromatic Parsi-style stew where tender mutton or chicken is slow-cooked with a generous amount of fresh leafy greens and whole pearl onions. The dish features a savory base of caramelized onions and spices, resulting in a luscious, nutrient-dense gravy where the meat falls off the bone. Best enjoyed with crusty bread or rotis to scoop up the flavorful, ghee-enriched sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Lamb, Goat, or Chicken (cut into pieces) (Originally 1.5 Ratal. Use tender, fatty meat.)
- 1 1/2 pounds Pearl onions (small onions) (Originally 1.5 Sher 'jhina kanda'. Left whole.)
- 1 cup Ghee (Originally 0.5 Sher. Can substitute with oil or butter.)
- 1/2 pound Large onions (Originally 0.5 Sher. Finely sliced.)
- 1 1/2 pounds Mixed fresh greens (Spinach, Fenugreek, Amaranth) (Originally 15 bundles of 'Pachrasi Bhaji' (5-flavor greens). Use a mix of spinach and other leafy greens.)
- 1 tablespoon 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.)
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Heaping teaspoon.)
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper powder (Flat teaspoon.)
- 3 bunches Fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) (Finely chopped.)
- 3 whole Green chilies (Large variety, finely chopped.)
- 2 cups Water (Originally 1 Sher. Add more if needed for cooking.)
Instructions
- 1Clean the meat (or chicken) and cut into small pieces. Wash twice with cold water. Peel and crush the ginger and garlic into a paste.
- 2Remove stems from the cilantro and mixed greens. Wash them thoroughly in plenty of water to remove grit, along with the green chilies. Chop the greens, cilantro, and chilies very finely. Peel and wash the small pearl onions (keep them whole). Peel the large onions and slice them very finely, like vermicelli.
- 3In a heavy-bottomed pot (originally a tinned vessel), heat the ghee. Fry the sliced large onions until they turn red. Add the ginger and garlic paste and sauté briefly. Add the turmeric and black pepper and roast the spices slightly.
- 4Add the meat, whole small onions, chopped cilantro, chilies, greens, and salt to the pot. Mix well with a spoon. Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally. Allow the water released by the greens and meat to evaporate until the mixture sizzles ('tatare').
- 5Pour in the water (approx. 2 cups). Keep the pot on low heat (originally charcoal embers) and simmer until the meat is completely tender and the ghee separates from the mixture. Serve hot.