Description
A rich and creamy Lamb Korma Curry with tender lamb shoulder slow-cooked in a fragrant blend of spices, cashew and onion purees, and finished with coconut and dairy cream. Perfectly served over basmati rice with a side of naan bread for dunking.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 large onions, cut into 1cm (1/2″) squares (brown or yellow)
- 8 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 4cm (1.5″) piece ginger, peeled and sliced 3mm (0.2″) thick
- 1/4 cup unsalted roasted cashews (~20 cashews)
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter
- 800g (1.6 lb) lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 4–5 cm (2″) cubes
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 5 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or smoked paprika + cayenne)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
- 10 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed and tied in muslin or cheesecloth
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 tsp white sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt
- 1/2 cup full-fat coconut cream
- 1/2 cup full-fat cream (thickened/heavy or pure cream)
To Serve
- Basmati rice or other plain white rice of choice
- Naan bread (optional, for dunking)
- Cashews, finely chopped (optional sprinkle)
- Coriander/cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Onion puree: Place the onion, garlic, and ginger into a tall container that fits the head of a stick blender. Blitz until smooth, about 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.
- Cashew puree: Using the same container, cover the mouth with your hand to prevent cashew pieces flying out, then blitz the cashews and water until smooth, about 10 seconds. Set aside.
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) or 160°C (320°F) fan-forced.
- Reduce onion puree: Heat ghee in a 24 cm (10″) oven-proof pot over high heat. Cook the onion puree, stirring regularly for about 8 minutes until reduced by half. Be careful not to let it caramelize.
- Add lamb: Add the lamb cubes to the pot, reduce heat to medium-high and stir until the meat changes color from red to light brown. Do not try to brown the meat.
- Add spices and stock: Stir in turmeric, ground ginger, garam masala, and Kashmiri chilli powder. Pour in chicken stock so the liquid just barely covers the meat. Add the cardamom pod sachet and cinnamon sticks, stir, and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and transfer the pot to the oven.
- Slow cook: Cook in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove, stir in the cashew puree, cover again, and return to the oven for another 30 minutes. The sauce should thicken to a creamy consistency and the lamb should be tender enough to pull apart easily with forks.
- Finish creamy sauce: Place the pot on low heat on the stove. Stir in sugar, salt, coconut cream, and full-fat cream. Simmer gently for 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Serve: Spoon the lamb korma over basmati rice. Garnish with chopped cashews and coriander leaves if desired. Serve with naan bread for dunking.
Notes
- Ghee can be substituted with unsalted butter for similar richness.
- Use lamb shoulder for the best balance of tenderness and flavor; trim excess fat for a balanced dish.
- Garam masala is a key spice blend for authentic flavor; adjust quantity based on preference.
- If Kashmiri chilli powder is unavailable, substitute with a mix of smoked paprika and cayenne for color and mild heat.
- Wrapping cardamom pods in muslin or cheesecloth allows easy removal after cooking.
- Use full-fat coconut cream and full-fat dairy cream to achieve the characteristic rich and creamy texture of lamb korma.
- Do not caramelize onion puree during reduction; keep stirring and cook until half the volume remains.
- Slow cooking in the oven allows lamb to become tender and absorb flavors gently.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: Lamb Korma, Indian Curry, Creamy Curry, Slow Cooked Lamb, Lamb Shoulder Recipe, Cashew Curry Sauce, Traditional Indian Lamb
