Afghan Do Piaza (Onion-Heavy Lamb Stew)

About This Recipe

Afghan Do Piaza is a real, traditional Afghan dish, known as Onion-Heavy Lamb Stew. Lamb braised with a generous double portion of onions until they nearly melt into the rich, deeply savory sauce.\n\nDo piaza, meaning 'two onions', reflects a shared South Asian and Afghan cooking technique using an especially large quantity of onions, added at two different stages of cooking for layered texture and flavor.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Afghan home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 800 glamb shoulder(cubed)
• 4 tbspneutral oil
• 1 kgyellow onions(half sliced thin, half diced)
• 6garlic cloves(minced)
• 1 piecefresh ginger(minced)
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1 tspturmeric
• 0.5 tspchili powder
• 2tomatoes(diced)
• 400 mlwater or stock
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)
• 2 tbspchopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the lamb

   Heat oil in a heavy pot and brown the lamb cubes on all sides; set aside.

2. 2

   Cook half the onions

   Add the diced half of the onions to the same pot, cooking until deeply golden, about 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Add spices

   Stir in garlic, ginger, coriander, turmeric and chili powder, cooking for 1 minute.

4. 4

   Braise

   Return the lamb to the pot, add tomatoes and water or stock. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

5. 5

   Add remaining onions

   Add the remaining sliced onions and continue simmering uncovered for 30 minutes, until the lamb is very tender and the onions have softened into the sauce.

6. 6

   Serve

   Season with salt, garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve hot with rice or naan.

Variations

• •

  Use chicken instead of lamb for a lighter, faster-cooking version.

• •

  Some households add a bit of yogurt at the end for extra creaminess.

• •

  Adjust the chili powder for a milder or spicier version.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions