Dopiyaza

Dopiyaza

Dopiyaza

Lamb cooked with twice the quantity of onion — a defining Mughlai technique where the first batch of onions is deeply caramelised into a thick, mahogany paste that forms the entire gravy base, and the second batch is added quartered and lightly browned in the final stage to retain texture. The word means 'two onions' in Persian; the double application produces a complex, sweet-savoury depth unachievable with a single addition.

Cuisines

Hyderabadi Awadhi Kashmiri Mughlai Delhi

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 40 min Total: 60 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

500 grams chicken, cut into pieces
4 tablespoons oil
3 large onions, sliced
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup yogurt, beaten
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, chopped
— salt to taste
1 cup water

Instructions

  1. 1 Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and add cumin seeds.
  2. 2 Once the cumin seeds splutter, add the sliced onions and sauté until golden brown.
  3. 3 Remove half of the onions and set aside for garnishing.
  4. 4 Add ginger-garlic paste to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes.
  5. 5 Add chicken pieces and cook until they are lightly browned.
  6. 6 Mix in coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt.
  7. 7 Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften.
  8. 8 Stir in the beaten yogurt and cook for 5 minutes.
  9. 9 Add water, cover the pan, and let it simmer on low heat until the chicken is cooked through.
  10. 10 Sprinkle garam masala and the reserved fried onions over the top.
  11. 11 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.

Tips

For a richer taste, you can add a few cashew nuts or almonds while cooking the chicken.