Mutton or Chicken with Cabbage

Tender chunks of mutton or chicken are slow-cooked with finely chopped cabbage in this comforting Parsi stew. The dish begins with a fragrant base of caramelized onions, ginger, and garlic, before simmering the meat and vegetables until meltingly soft. Finished with rich coconut milk and a touch of warming garam masala, this creamy, savory curry offers a perfect balance of textures and flavors, best enjoyed with crusty bread or steamed rice.

Ingredients

1 pound Mutton or Chicken (cut into small pieces) (Originally '1 ratal' (1 lb). Use tender meat with some fat.)
1 pound Cabbage (finely chopped) (Remove thick leaves and stems before chopping.)
3/4 cup Ghee (Originally '1.5 pasher' (approx 6 oz). Can reduce to 1/2 cup for modern preference.)
2 medium Onions (finely sliced) (Originally '1.5 pasher' (approx 6 oz).)
2 teaspoons Salt (Originally '1 tola'.)
1 tablespoon Ginger paste (Originally '0.5 tola' ginger.)
1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic paste (Originally '0.25 tola' garlic.)
3/4 cup Thick coconut milk (Originally '1.5 pasher' milk extracted from 1 coconut.)
3 cups Water (Originally '1.5 seer' (approx 24 oz).)
1 teaspoon Garam masala (Quantity estimated (originally 'a little' to taste).)

Instructions

1Clean the meat and cut into small, even pieces; wash 1-2 times with cold water. Remove hard stems and thick leaves from the cabbage and chop it finely. Peel and finely slice the onions. Peel and crush the ginger and garlic into a paste. Grate the coconut and extract about 3/4 cup of thick milk (or use canned coconut milk).
2In a heavy-bottomed pot (originally 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 fry briefly until fragrant.
3Wash the cabbage. Add the meat, cabbage, and salt to the pot. Mix well with a spoon. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture sears and sizzles ('tatare').
4Pour in the water (approx 3 cups). Cover and cook on low heat until the meat is tender and the water has mostly evaporated.
5Once the water dries up and the meat is soft, add the thick coconut milk. Simmer on low heat (or embers) until the liquid reduces and the ghee separates from the mixture. The dish should be moist ('dhilu jevu') but not watery; do not let it become completely dry. Remove from heat and sprinkle with garam masala.