My wife enjoys lamb, whereas I have a particular liking for korma.  So today, we have chosen to make a dish by combining both. I am enthusiastic about sharing this lamb korma recipe with you! 

Although I have written a chicken korma recipe before, preparing the lamb version requires a few adjustments due to its distinct flavor compared to chicken. As such, I have developed a new recipe instead of modifying my previous chicken karma recipe.

Here is my recipe for lamb korma, a savory and juicy dish inspired by various cooking styles.

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1. About lamb korma

Lamb korma (mutton korma) is a savory dish originating in the Indian subcontinent. It is made by braising lamb or mutton with yogurt or cream, water or stock, and flavorful spices to create a thick curry. The roots of korma can be traced back to the Mughlai cuisine of the Indian subcontinent in the 16th century. This dish was frequently prepared in the Mughal court kitchens and is believed to have been served to Shah Jahan and his guests at the inauguration of the Taj Mahal. Although other versions of korma have developed based on ingredient availability in different regions, Mughlai Korma has remained the popular choice among Indian curries.

2. How to prepare lamb korma

Preparing lamb korma involves spices that may not be commonly found in your kitchen pantry or local supermarket. Nevertheless, these spices can be easily purchased from any Indian grocery store. 

a. Preparation for making lamb korma

Lamb

I generally opt for lamb shoulder or lamb leg to cook lamb korma. Cut the lamb into one-inch chunks, either with or without bone. Ask your butcher to cut the lamb for you as it is quite difficult to do at home, especially those bone-in pieces.

Rub the lamb with a few tablespoons of plain yogurt and let it marinate in the refrigerator overnight. The yogurt helps break down the connective tissue and tenderize the lamb meat. Furthermore, it helps to eliminate the unwanted smell that lamb often carries.

Other ingredients

• To start cooking this dish, thinly slice the onion and finely chop the garlic and ginger. 
• Next, measure the necessary aromatic spices, including bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, green cardamom, cloves, and cumin seeds. 
• Besides these, gather turmeric powder, Kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, salt, garam masala powder, and freshly ground black pepper.

b. The cooking method

Once you get all the ingredients, the cooking process is fairly straightforward. Depending on your preference, you may use a stockpot on the stove or a multi-cooker to save time. 

Fry the onions and lamb

1. Marinate the lamb chunks with half the yogurt and keep them in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Cut an onion into thin slices. 
3. Heat some ghee in a pan and add the sliced onions. Saute the onions over medium heat until they turn golden brown. Avoid high heat, as it will cause the exterior to brown too quickly while the inside remains undercooked. Also, be cautious not to burn the onions, which can cause the korma gravy to taste bitter.
4. Once the onions turn golden brown,  remove half from the pan onto a paper towel and allow it to cool.
5. Leave the remaining onions and oil in the pan, and proceed to add the spices.

Add the spices

1. Reduce the heat of the oil and add the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods, cloves, and cumin seeds. Fry the herbs over low heat until the aroma rises. 
2. Next, add the marinated lamb pieces to the pan and spread them in a single layer. Fry for five minutes on each side until slightly brown.
3. Blend the garlic, fresh ginger, and two green chilies in a food processor with a little water until it forms a paste. Then, pour the ginger garlic paste into the lamb and cook until the water from the paste has evaporated with only oil remaining.
4. Season the meat with the ground spices: turmeric powder, Kashmiri chili powder, coriander, salt, garam masala powder, and freshly ground black pepper.
5. Cook the lamb for 3 to 4 minutes. Then, add two cups of water and continue cooking, stirring occasionally. (If cooking on a stovetop, monitor the water level throughout and add more water as necessary. If using a pressure cooker, only add one cup of water as it requires less water.)

Slow-cook the lamb

1. Set it on low heat and simmer for 1.5 hours or until the lamb is tender. If you use a pressure cooker, it will take less than half an hour. Most of the latest pressure cookers have a pre-programmed setting that helps regulate the cooking time.
2. As the lamb cooks, blend the remaining half of the fried onions with the fresh yogurt in a blender to form a paste.
3. Add the yogurt-fried onion paste to the lamb after it has cooked for an hour. Add some water if you notice insufficient water to continue cooking the lamb.
4. Once the lamb has become tender, add half a teaspoon of ground nut nutmeg and half a teaspoon of ground mace. 
5. At this point, taste the dish to decide if you need to adjust the saltiness or add any other spices that you feel it requires.  Also, you could add some sugar if the yogurt causes the sauce to become too sour. 
6. Once the lamb korma has been cooked, set it aside to wait for the oil to rise to the surface. You can remove the oil for a less greasy dish, but it is entirely up to you since the oil helps to improve its appearance. 

This lamb korma serves perfectly with basmati rice, naan bread, or paratha.

3. More notes about this lamb korma recipe

1. Besides yogurt, double cream, sour cream, and coconut cream can be used to make the curry. Please use thick coconut cream meant explicitly for cooking rather than the kind labeled as coconut milk intended for drinking. 
2. A Dutch oven or large skillet may be a more convenient alternative than a slow cooker like the Instant Pot when cooking a small amount of lamb. This eliminates the need to transfer the lamb from the pan to the slow cooker and helps to reduce cleaning time. 
3. Consider including a small tomato or tomato paste in the recipe to enhance the flavor. 
4. For a final touch, sprinkle some cashew nuts on the lamb korma before serving.
5. While ghee is the preferred oil for lamb korma, it can be costly. As an alternative, substitute half of it with vegetable oil.
6. Lastly, black cardamom is worth including in the list of dry spices if available. If not, use green cardamoms alone.

4. Other related Indian cuisines

If you enjoyed this easy lamb korma recipe, you may want to try making other dishes you have tasted in Indian restaurants. Here are some popular Indian recipes on this blog:

• Lamb korma is a flavorful complement to chicken biryani, a popular Indian dish frequently served in Indian eateries. You can easily prepare it at home by following my recipe. 
• If you are keen on making naan bread, here is my recipe. It is a well-known Indian cuisine and is not a challenging dish to prepare.
• If lamb isn’t your preference, try this chicken korma recipe that might pique your interest.

Yield: 3 servings

Lamb Korma Recipe

Print

This lamb korma recipe is a mild curry that anyone will like.  Full of all the goodness of Indian spices with excellent flavor.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 kg lamb leg or shoulder, cut into one-inch chunks
• 1/3 cups of plain yogurt
• 4 tbsp ghee
• 1 large size onion, cut into slices
• 5 cloves garlic, rough cut
• 1 thumb-size fresh ginger, rough cut
• 2 green chilies, remove seeds, rough cut
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 bay leaves
• 3-inch length cinnamon stick
• 5 green cardamoms
• 5 cloves
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground mace

Instructions

1. Cut the lamb into one-inch chunks, either with or without bone. 
2. Marinate the lamb chunks with half the yogurt and keep them in the refrigerator overnight.
3. Thinly slice the onion and finely chop the garlic and ginger.
4. Saute the onions with ghee over medium heat until they turn golden brown. Once the onions turn golden brown,  remove half from the pan onto a paper towel and allow it to cool. Leave the remaining onions and oil in the pan.
5. Reduce the heat of the oil and add the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods, cloves, and cumin seeds. Fry the herbs over low heat until the aroma rises. 
6. Next, add the marinated lamb pieces. Fry for five minutes on each side until slightly brown.
7. Blend the garlic, fresh ginger, and two green chilies in a food processor with a bit of water until it forms a paste. Then, pour the ginger garlic paste into the lamb and cook until the water from the paste has evaporated with only oil remaining.
8. Season the meat with the ground spices: turmeric powder, Kashmiri chili powder, coriander, salt, garam masala powder, and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Add two cups of water and continue cooking, stirring occasionally. Set it on low heat and simmer for 1.5 hours or until the lamb is tender. 
10. As the lamb cooks, blend the remaining half of the fried onions with the fresh yogurt in a blender to form a paste.
11. Add the yogurt-fried onion paste to the lamb.
12. Once the lamb has become tender, add half a teaspoon of ground nut nutmeg and half a teaspoon of ground mace. Serve.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1108Total Fat: 74gSaturated Fat: 34gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 34gCholesterol: 355mgSodium: 1111mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 90g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 10/12/2023