Afghan · dinner, lunch
Afghan Dopiaza (Lamb Braised with Onions)
دوپیازه
Video by see cooking on YouTube, in Persian · Open on YouTube
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
34 g protein and about 15 g net carbs a serve, almost all from slowly softened onions. The lamb supplies plenty of vitamin B12 and zinc, and there is no flour, rice or sugar in the pot.
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Ingredients 12
Method
The cook speaks Persian; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. For subtitles, tap CC in the video, then Settings › Subtitles › Auto-translate › English.
- Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and fry the finely chopped onion until golden. 0:18
- Add the lamb and fry it with the onion, turning, until browned all over and the raw smell has gone. Stir in the chopped garlic. 0:47
- Add the 2 onions cut into rings, the salt, turmeric, ground coriander and black pepper and stir everything together. 1:28
- Pour in boiling water to just below the top of the meat. Lock the lid and cook on low heat for 35–45 minutes, then release the pressure and open: the meat should be soft and pulling away from the bone. 2:03
- Only a little liquid should remain. Add the last 3 onions in large rings, stir, cover for 1–2 minutes without pressure, then cook uncovered on medium heat, stirring, until the rings are just soft but still hold their shape. 3:07
- Lift into a serving dish, scatter over a little chopped coriander and serve. 4:33
Tip. Do piyaza means 'two onions': onion goes in at three stages, the last only just softened. In Mazar and Kabul it is served over naan with vinegared onions; a salad keeps it low in carbs. Serves 6 is our estimate.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 6
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 10%
- Protein 24%
- Fat 66%
Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.
One serve has about 55% of a day’s sodium. Use less salt, stock or sauce, or a reduced-salt version, to bring it down.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin B12 High153%
3.7 µg a serve, mostly from bone-in lamb (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Omega-3 High107%
1.7 g a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (72%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Zinc High71%
7.8 mg a serve, mostly from bone-in lamb (94%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Selenium High70%
39 µg a serve, mostly from bone-in lamb (96%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin B6 High25%
0.4 mg a serve, mostly from bone-in lamb (42%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Iron High20%
3.6 mg a serve, mostly from bone-in lamb (78%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Vitamin E Source18%
2.6 mg a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (90%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin C Source16%
14 mg a serve, mostly from onions (39%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin K Source16%
20 µg a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (49%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Folate Source16%
64 µg a serve, mostly from bone-in lamb (47%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Potassium Source14%
650 mg a serve, mostly from bone-in lamb (54%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Magnesium Source13%
56 mg a serve, mostly from bone-in lamb (58%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Show the other 3
Calcium7%
85 mg a serve, mostly from bone-in lamb (33%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin D1%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from bone-in lamb (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Vitamin A0%
2.9 µg a serve, mostly from fresh coriander (98%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by see cooking; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.