GAAJAR KA SAALAN

• In a pot, heat oil and fry onions golden brown. Take them out, add some water to make a fine paste using a blender and keep aside.
  

If using chicken

• In the same oil, fry chicken with cumin seeds, yoghurt, ginger paste and garlic paste. Continue frying on high flame until the water released from the Chicken is dried and the oil separates. Once this is done, add the dry spices including salt and fry for another minute. Keep stirring and maintain the flame to medium-high in order to prevent the masala from getting burnt. 
  
• Now add the fried onion paste and the carrots and fry for another 3-4 minutes until the oil starts to separate. Keep stirring at this point as well. 
• Once you can see the oil separating add at least 1 ½ cup water (approximately) and let it boil. Taste and adjust the salt. Cover and simmer cook (approximately 25-30 minutes) until the chicken and carrots are tender.
• The water should be enough to let the whole curry simmer cook until the chicken and carrots are tender. Continue this process on low medium heat to get a soft texture of chicken and carrots. 

If using mutton

• In the same oil, fry mutton with cumin seeds, yoghurt, ginger paste and garlic paste. Continue frying on high flame until the water released from the mutton is dried and the oil separates. Once this is done, add the dry spices including salt and fry for another minute. Keep stirring and maintain the flame to medium-high in order to prevent the masala from getting burnt. Add fried onion paste and fry till the oil starts to separate, for about 3-4 minutes. Once the oil starts to separate, add 1 cup water (approximately) and let it boil. When it starts boiling cover and simmer cook on low medium heat until the meat is about 75% cooked (Approximately 25-30mins). Once the meat is almost cooked (not completely tender because the rest of it will be cooked with the carrots), take the lid off, add carrots and fry again for few minutes to dry the water and blend in the flavours with the carrots added at this stage. Keep stirring and when you see the oil beginning to separate, add another cup of water and give it a boil. Taste and adjust the salt. Cover and simmer cook on low medium flame until the meat and carrots are tender (approximately 15-20 mins).
• In both situations, You can adjust the consistency of the gravy according to your preference. Also, if you are adding green bullet chillies just add them in the curry in the last few minutes of cooking before you switch off.
• You should be able to see the oil beginning to float at the top and a nice reddish-brown colour of the gravy.
• Garnish with chopped green coriander before serving with chapatis (Indian bread) or plain rice. 
• This curry also combines really well with zeera rice( flavoured steam rice) or matar pulao (a combination of rice and peas cooked with flavours)