Meat or Chicken with Peaches

A luxurious Parsi heritage dish that pairs tender mutton or chicken with the floral sweetness of fresh peaches. Following the tradition of fruit-and-meat curries like Jardaloo Ma Gosht, this recipe simmers a savory meat base with twelve large peaches and a generous amount of sugar until the sauce reduces to a rich, glossy glaze. The result is a perfect balance of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors with a melt-in-the-mouth texture, best served with rotis or crusty bread.

Ingredients

2 pounds Mutton (Lamb) or Chicken, cut into pieces (Quantity estimated for a standard main dish.)
4 tablespoons Ghee or Vegetable Oil (Estimated for the base stew.)
2 medium Onions, sliced (Estimated for the savory 'Khari' base.)
2 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste (Estimated for the savory 'Khari' base.)
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt (Or to taste.)
2 cups Water (Estimated for stewing.)
12 whole Fresh Peaches, large (Use firm but ripe peaches.)
1 cup Granulated Sugar (Originally '1/2 seer' (approx 225g).)

Instructions

1Prepare the meat or chicken as a savory stew (Khari style). Heat ghee in a pot, sauté onions until soft, then add the meat, ginger-garlic paste, and salt. Add water and simmer until the meat is tender and the liquid has reduced to approximately 3/4 cup (originally described as '1.5 pasher' of gravy remaining).
2While the meat is cooking, prepare the peaches. Peel the peaches (blanching briefly in boiling water if necessary to remove skins easily), cut them into quarters, and remove the stones.
3Once the meat is tender and the gravy has reduced sufficiently, spread the peach quarters over the meat. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the top. Cover the pot tightly and place on low heat (originally 'on embers'). Simmer gently until the sugar dissolves, the peaches are tender, and the dish 'comes on ghee' (the oil separates from the sauce).