Boneless Lamb or goat cooked with madras curry powder, other Indian spices and herbs. You don't need a base gravy to make this BIR style dish. Serve it with naan, parathas or over rice.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 100 minutes
  • Total time: 120 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main, Side
  • Cuisine: British Indian

Ingredients

  • 1.1 lbs (½ kg) lamb or goat ((bone-in or boneless cut to 1 inch portions))
  • 1½ tablespoon ginger garlic (paste/grated/ crushed (¾ tbsp. each))
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves ((handful leaves fine chopped + more to garnish))
  • 1½ tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 to 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder ((omit if using hot curry powder))
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1½ tablespoon Madras curry powder ((+ ½ tbsp to adjust, make from recipe link or use store bought))
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala ((+ ½ teaspoon at the end))
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) ghee or oil ((or use ½ ghee & ½ oil))
  • 1 star anise
  • 2 inch cinnamon piece
  • 1½ cup (180 grams) onions ((1 large onion fine chopped))
  • 1 cup (225 grams) tomato puree ((passsata or 300 grams fresh tomato puree))
  • ⅓ cup (40 grams) carrots ((sliced))
  • ⅓ cup (50 grams) red bell pepper ((chopped))
  • ½ cup (120 ml) water or broth ((+½ cup hot water. I use 1 cup, read notes))
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind paste ((optional, or tamarind chutney or 1 tsp concentrate, adjust to preference, read notes))
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar or jaggery ((adjust to taste, omit to use chutney))
  • ½ teaspoon salt ((adjust to preference))

Method

  1. To a mixing bowl, add lamb, lemon juice, salt, ginger garlic, curry powder, chili powder, garam masala and coriander leaves. Mix well and cover. Keep aside until needed.
  2. Puree tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers & half cup water or broth in a blender, to get a smooth puree.

How to make Lamb Madras

  1. Pour oil/ghee to a pot and add star anise, cinnamon and onions. Saute for 8 to 9 mins until transparent. Deglaze with 2 tablespoons water. Add the lamb and sear on a medium high heat for 6 to 7 mins.
  2. Add the pureed tomatoes and cook covered on a medium heat for about 25 mins.
  3. Pour half cup hot water or broth if needed (in batches) and cook covered until the lamb is tender (takes me about 1 hour 10 mins). Keep stirring every 10 to 15 mins to prevent burning.
  4. Stir in tamarind and sugar. Taste test to adjust salt, curry powder & garam masala to your preference. Lamb madras should be hot, spicy and tangy.
  5. Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve hot with Naan, paratha, chapati, roti, plain rice, saffron rice or turmeric rice.

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.