The addition of ingredients like yogurt in a marinade will guarantee moist, tender chicken

Dear Big Apple Curry,

I love slow-cooked meats (like ribs and stews) that are falling off the bone tender. How do you get the meat so tender in Indian meat dishes like butter chicken and kebabs? Thanks!

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Dear Reader,

What a great question! There’s nothing less appealing than meat that hasn’t been seasoned properly or has been overcooked to the point that it’s dry, chewy, and devoid of any flavor. Preparation and timing is the key to great meat dishes in any cuisine, not just in Indian cooking. That said, there are a few hallmark techniques to prepare Indian meat dishes that result in some of the most succulent, juicy, and flavorful pieces of meat I’ve ever had. Here are a few tips for you:

1. Yogurt

Yogurt is a key component in marinades for dishes like tandoori chicken, which is typically skewered and cooked in a super hot clay oven called the tandoor. What does yogurt do exactly? Research suggest that dairy-based marinades like yogurt and buttermilk are likely the only marinades that truly tenderize meat compared to acidic marinades (i.e. using vinegar or lemon juice); according to allrecipes.com the calcium in dairy products activates enzymes in meat that break down proteins; this process is similar to the way that aging tenderizes meat. For Indian dishes, I always recommend using a thick Greek style yogurt, which when combined with other ingredients will coat the meat better than a runnier yogurt, and adds both flavor and moisture to meat in recipes like these:

Easy-Indian Style Grilled Chicken

In this recipe, plain Greek yogurt is combined with oil and spices to create an easy marinade for chicken. The best way is to marinate it for 4 – 6 hours, overnight is even better. You can grill this on the BBQ or bake it in the oven under the broiler for 10 – 15 minutes and your knife will slide through it like butter.

The hallmark technique for preparing tender, juicy Indian meat dishes is to use yogurt in the marinade

Biryani

Biryani is the king of Indian rice dishes, which is a layered rice-based dish made with basmati rice, spices, and chicken, lamb, or vegetables. An authentic biryani takes time and many ingredients and many steps. In a meat-based biryani, the lamb for instance, is prepared separately in a deep, wide skillet. While it’s not a yogurt-based marinade for several hours that tenderizes the meat, adding yogurt to boneless stewing lamb, spices, and tomatoes that are slowly pan-fried (for upwards of one hour) makes the lamb tender. Later, the lamb is layered with spiced basmati rice that’s dotted with saffron yogurt sauce (yes indeed, more yogurt) and then baked in the oven. The result is pure nirvana and the lamb, which is falling apart wonderful, lends an rich, unctuous quality to the entire dish. The same technique is used in a less complicated recipe called Lamb Korma Pilaf which is also my #1 favorite Indian cookbook recipe.

Preparing the lamb in a lamb biryani involves slow cooking boneless stewing lamb with spices, tomatoes, and yogurt, which keeps it tender and falling apart

2. Fresh Herbs

Lamb Kebabs

Fresh herbs work like magic when added to spiced ground meat preparations like kebabs. Herbs don’t marinate the meat like yogurt does, but when finely chopped and added to the kebab mix, the natural properties of fresh herbs keep the meat very moist. In this recipe, finely chopped fresh mint, cilantro, and scallions are combined with finely grated ginger root and garlic cloves. One year, I made these kebabs at Christmas and I thought I’d overdone it with the fresh herbs and put in way too much, because the meat mixture was so moist it was almost soggy. But when Sean grilled them up they were absolutely fantastic and just melted in our mouths.

These impressive lamb kebabs get a moisture boost from freshly chopped mint, cilantro, scallions, garlic and ginger root

3. Twice-Cooked 

It might be surprising to hear that twice-cooking meat can yield tender meat dishes. If anything, the description might make you think the meat would be dry as a result of the double cooking. But that’s not the case. You can combine leftover or pre-cooked meat with other ingredients like herbs and mashed potatoes to create unforgettable Indian cutlets and kebabs that are then cooked again by shallow frying them in a skillet until golden brown. The flavor profiles are fantastically complex and satisfying in these types of preparations.

Indian cutlets

I love serving these pan-fried cutlets as a first course because it really sets the stage right for the entire meal. In this recipe, which is a perfect way to use leftover Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey and mashed potatoes, I combine cooked shredded turkey, mashed potatoes, spices, and breadcrumbs and form them into cutlets that are then shallow-fried until golden brown on the edges and served with tamarind sauce and mint chutney. Yum.

Leftover turkey is blended with spices in the food processor then combined with  mashed potatoes breadcrumbs, cilantro, mint, and lemon juice

Shammi Kebabs

These signature kebabs involve slow cooking boneless stewing lamb or beef with lentils and spices in a crock pot, which is then blended until the meat mixture is light and feathery. The mixture is then shaped into kebabs, often combined with other ingredients, and then cooked again (hence, twice-cooked) by shallow frying them so they’re crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Talk about depth of flavor. Wow.

After the beef is slow cooked with lentils and spices for hours, the mixture is blended with an immersion blender, then formed into patties and pan-fried until golden and crispy.

4. Slow Cooker 

As you said, slow-cooking meat is a great way to ensure it’s fall-off-the-bone delicious. There are many ways to slow cook meat, but as a busy parent, one of my favorite ways is using my crock pot. Like other cuisines, many Indian recipes lend themselves beautifully to a slow cooker treatment. As you may know, I’m always on the lookout for excellent slow cooker recipes that can make all the difference, whether you’re having guests for dinner or need something easy on a busy weeknight. Here are a couple of my all-time favorites:

Weeknight Dinnersaver: Easy Indian-style Slow Cooker Lamb Stew

Indian-style slow cooker lamb stew

My Quest for an Excellent Slow Cooker Recipe: Nigella’s Indian-inspired Slow-Cooked Lamb Ragu with Pasta

Nigella Lawson’s Slow-cooked Lamb Ragu with Pasta