Lamb Korma has coconut cream and cashews and is moderately spicy and sweet. So family-friendly and simple to enjoy, I call it “the other butter chicken!” For a cozy Indian night in, serve lamb curry with basmati rice and handmade naan. Due to demand, slow cooker, instant pot, and pressure cooker instructions added!
Not all curries are hot and spicy like Vindaloo and Rogan Josh. Like everyone’s favorite Butter Chicken. Lamb Korma today! Not hot, the sauce is lightly spiced. Pureed cashews, coconut cream, and ordinary cream make it creamy. A little sweet.
I call it “family friendly curry” since everyone can eat it!
Why cook Lamb Korma?
Most restaurant Lamb Korma curries are too sweet and greasy for me. Shop-bought canned sauces also lack flavor.
Korma should be sweet. Not candy sweet!
Cooking Lamb Korma at home is superior. It’s inexpensive, healthy, dependable, and easier than beef stew. Except for Kashmiri chilli, which you can replace with smoked paprika and cayenne pepper, big grocery shops have everything you need.
Ready to prepare Lamb Korma with fall-apart lamb in a creamy cashew-coconut sauce? Yes you are!
This Lamb Korma curry
Kormas are varied. I’ve tasted real versions that are insanely rich and hot, but fantastic! The creamy, softly spiced, moderately sweet lamb korma we’re accustomed to in Western Indian restaurants is significantly milder.
This is my brother’s recipe. He excels in complex-flavor dishes. I routinely ask him for assistance with curries like these! We had several “heated debates” and decided on him! But we succeeded, and everyone liked it. We hope you do!
The Lamb Korma curry ingredients
All the important items should be available at conventional grocery shops (big ones, not your neighborhood store!). Ghee and Kashmiri powder may be unavailable, but there are simple replacements!
1. BEST LAMB KORMA CUT
Slow cooking breaks down tough fibers in lamb shoulder, making it the ideal cut. Cut the meat into big chunks to avoid cooking it too rapidly before the sauce has chance to flavor.
For 4 meals, 800g/1.6 lb lamb seems like a lot, but it shrinks! The original recipe utilized 600g of beef, but not enough for 4 individuals.
I can’t think of any other lamb cut that would work, even after long cooking. For instance, lamb shanks lack sufficient flesh for cutting 5cm/2″ cubes for lamb korma. Though there’s not enough liquid to immerse 4 shanks, you may cook them entire. Lamb neck is fantastic for slow cooking but too bony for this recipe (can’t chop huge portions). My manuals prohibit cooking lamb cutlets and backstrap beyond medium rare (too pricey!). Lamb leg is too skinny.
I can’t think of another lamb cut for this dish. I thought about it!
Traditionally prepared with lamb, korma curry sauce is remarkable due to its unique flavor. However, the recipe will work with slow-cooking beef (chuck or boneless rib) or pork (pork shoulder). This dish is unsuitable for chicken since it will overcook before the sauce has adequate flavor. It’s a distinct recipe since I’d have to focus the sauce flavor!
2. Lamb Korma Spices
You need these lamb korma spices. Don’t worry about missing Kashmiri chilli powder! A simple alternative.
Indian supermarket and specialty businesses sell hot, smokey Kashmiri chilli powder. Use 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne.
Indian spice blend garam masala is now readily available in grocery shops’ spice aisles. Consider it superior curry powder! Indian curry powder will work if you can’t locate it.
Green cardamom pods are available in most supermarket shops. Their flavor is lemony and herbaceous.
Bright yellow turmeric powder provides earthy flavor.
Ginger powder tastes warm and distinct from raw ginger.
Instead of powder, cinnamon sticks lend a mild flavor to the sauce.
3. Onion-garlic-ginger paste/cashew puree
The use of pureed cashew to thicken and enhance the curry sauce and the addition of sautéed onion, ginger, and garlic make it special. Avoid using chopped onion—it’s not the same!
- Use brown or yellow onions.
- 8 huge, entire garlic cloves!
- Ginger – 5 cm/2″ piece, skin removed and sliced.
Our thick sauce is made with roasted, unsalted cashews and a little water.
4. Every other curry sauce ingredient
The rest is needed to create Lamb Korma:
- Ghee—Indian clarified butter—tastes like butter on steroids! This butter-like substance may be stored in the pantry rather than the fridge. Available in the Indian department of big supermarket stores, Indian and Asian businesses, or create your own (quite simple). Replace with unsalted butter or virgin coconut oil (delicious coconut flavor).
- Sugar—4 tablespoons sweetens the sauce.
- Coconut cream—thicker than coconut milk! Full fat please. Low-fat coconut flavor is weaker.
- Regular cream—full fat please! The sauce will lack richness otherwise.
- Indian home cooking recipes often use water instead of chicken stock/broth. Water-based sauce lacks flavor, in my opinion. Indian spices may be fresher and more fragrant than Western grocery store spices, which might explain this!
Making Lamb Korma Curry
The stick blender is your buddy! Makes pureeing onions and cashews easy. 🙂 The onion may be mashed in a food processor, although smaller cashews would work better.
Transfer the onion, garlic, and ginger to a tall container that fits the stick blender head. Puree till smooth. It takes 5–10 seconds. Set aside after scraping into a basin.
The same container, mix cashews and water with the stick blender until smooth. It takes roughly 10 seconds. Cover the jar opening with your hand to avoid cashew comets. Set aside. Amid gradual cooking, we’ll add it to the sauce.
Cardamom sachet (optional): Wrap the pods in muslin or cheesecloth and knot. If not, throw the loose pods in the curry and remove them before eating (I don’t mind, but some have complained).
Ghee should be melted over high heat to reduce onion purée. Cook the onion puree for 8 minutes to half. It won’t “sauté” like chopped onion since it’s watery. Instead, it shrinks and dries. Avoid caramelizing or browning.
Add lamb and stir till crimson to light brown. The meat won’t brown if you try!
Sauce: Mix in ground turmeric, ginger, garam marsala, and kashmiri chilli. Add stock. Little liquid covers the meat. Stir in the cardamom pod sachet and cinnamon sticks. Put in the oven after simmering.
Cook for 1 1/2 hours at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Stir in the pureed cashews, cover, and bake for 30 more minutes. Lamb should be tender enough to tear apart with forks and the sauce velvety.
Slow, pressure, and instant pot methods
Make this Lamb Korma in a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or instant pot. The recipe must be changed to make the sauce flavorful. Slow cookers and other methods don’t caramelize the sauce like the oven, which adds flavor. Because there is no evaporation, the sauce must be decreased or it would be overly thin and flavorless.
I included instructions in the recipe notes for making this in a slow cooker, instant pot, etc., including steps to brown the beef and decrease the sauce liquid. It works well!
To finish and serve, heat the pot on low. Stir in sugar, salt, coconut cream, and cream. Serve after 2 minutes of simmering. See the sauce! Flavorful potential!
Serve Lamb Korma with…
Serve over basmati rice, the Indian rice of choice. It’s more fragrant than white rice, but any rice will do—see possibilities here.
Dunking with naan is suggested! It’s fluffy, bubbly, and chewy like restaurant naan, unlike other flatbread recipes. Kneading is unnecessary with this yeast dough!
Lamb Korma Curry
Try Samosas or Pakoras as appetizers and a Tomato Salad with Minted Yogurt Dressing as a side dish if you’re hosting an Indian feast (you should!).
Suggested Side Dishes LAMB KORMA
Unfortunately, I lack Indian dessert recipes. A delicately flavored almond flour and semolina Persian Love Cake is my best guess. It’s Middle Eastern (and part of a Middle Eastern meal I posted, see the Persian Love Cake recipe), but the flavors would work well for an Indian-themed evening! Nagi x
Since India loves mangoes, Mango Ice Cream (no ice cream machine required) or Mango Cheesecake would also work!
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