Onions are added at two stages of cooking: chopped or ground in the marinade/gravy, and as a garnish/topping, either pickled or crisply fried.
The recipe uses onions and meat in a 2:1 ratio.
The dish usually contains a meat, usually beef, chicken, lamb, mutton, or shrimp; however, it can also be prepared in a vegetarian style, e.g., with okra.