Lamb Curry is a delicious Indian dish of slow cooked lamb with spices, herbs & pantry staples. This tender fall-apart lamb is super flavorful

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 100 minutes
  • Total time: 120 minutes
  • Yield: 6
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 2.2 lbs (1 Kg) bone-in lamb ((shoulder or leg, bone-in or bone-less cut to 1½ inch))
  • ¼ cup plain yogurt ((for substitutes read notes))
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons Kashmiri red chilli powder ((adjust to taste, read notes))
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons garam masala ((or meat masala, adjust to taste, read notes))
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 tablespoon coriander powder
  • 2 teaspoon salt ((more to adjust))
  • 6 tablespoons oil (or ghee (divided, more if you prefer))
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 green cardamoms
  • 3 inch cinnamon piece
  • 2 black cardamom ((optional))
  • 1 to 2 star anise ((optional))
  • 2 cups onions (fine chopped)
  • 1½ cup (300 g) tomatoes ((fresh tomatoes chopped or pureed or 1 cup bottled like passata))
  • 1 to 2 green chilli slit ((deseeded, optional))
  • 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste ((or minced, divided equally))
  • 4 tablespoons mint leaves ((pudina, fine chopped))
  • 4 to 5 cup hot water ((cut down for boneless, adjust as needed))
  • ½ tablespoon kasuri methi ((dried fenugreeks leaves, optional))
  • ¼ cup coriander leaves ((fine chopped, optional))

Method

Preparation

  1. Add all the ground spices to a small bowl and mix them.
  2. Marinate lamb with half of this spice mix, half of the ginger garlic, salt, kasuri methi and yogurt (or lemon juice/ vinegar). Cover and set aside for about 2 hours to overnight in the refrigerator.
  3. Heat 1 to 2 tablespoon oil/ghee in a heavy bottom pan and add star anise, bay leaf, black cardamom, green cardamom & cinnamon.
  4. Once the spices begin to sizzle, add the mint leaves and stir in the marinated lamb and braise on a medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes.
  5. Pour half of the hot water and mix well. Cover and let cook on a low to medium heat for 1 hour. Keep stirring every 15 mins and add more hot water as you cook.

How to make Indian Lamb Curry

  1. Meanwhile in another pan, heat the rest of the oil/ghee. Add the onions & green chilies. Saute on a medium heat for 6 to 7 mins.
  2. Reduce the heat and stir fry for a few more minutes until deep golden but not burnt.
  3. Add rest of the ginger garlic & saute until the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away. This takes 1 to 2 minutes.
  4. Turn off the heat & stir in the rest of the ground spices, immediately pour the tomato puree. Cook on a medium heat until the raw flavor of tomatoes is gone.
  5. Transfer this to the lamb after 1 hour of cooking lamb. Cook covered on a low heat until the meat is fully cooked and fork tender, for another 50 mins or more. Pour more hot water if required as you cook & keep stirring often, every 5 to 7 mins.
  6. Taste test and add more salt or garam masala & kasuri methi if needed. If you want more heat in your lamb curry, add some freshly crushed black pepper.
  7. Garnish lamb curry with coriander leaves and serve with roti/ naan/ rice or with any artisan bread.
  8. Lamb curry tastes best after resting for a few hours or even the next day. Reheat & adjust the salt when you are ready to serve.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.