Restaurant-Style Lamb Korma (Rich & Creamy)
Rich, mild and creamy restaurnt style lamb korma recipe made with tender lamb shoulder pieces cooked in a velvety, spiced cashew sauce.
Ingredients
To Marinate Lamb
- 500 g boneless lamb shoulder cut into 2 inch pieces
- 80 g plain yogurt make sure it's not sour
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon ginger paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
Ground Spices To Add While Marinating
- 1.5 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri chilli ppwder
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
For The Korma Sauce
- 3-4 tablespoon neutral cooking oil or use ghee
- 220 g onion finely chopped
- 55 g tomato sauce
- 1 cup hot water plus more if needed
- ¾ teaspoon salt or as needed
- 30 (~45g) raw cashew nut soak and grind with ⅓ cup water
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi
- 3 tablespoon heavy cream
Whole Spices
- 2 cloves see note #2
- 1 small mace twig see note#2
- 4 green cardamom see note #2
- 1 cinnamon stick see note #2
Instructions
- Place the lamb pieces in a large bowl. Add yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, salt and all the mentioned ground spices except garam masala. Mix well using hands (wear gloves!) so the lamb is coated very well. Cover the bowl and let marinate, refrigerated for 4 to 6 hours or preferably overnight.Take the marinated meat out of the refrigerator, atleast 45 minutes prior to cooking. The closer it is to room temperature, the tender it will cook.
- Heat oil in a heavy pot (3 qt or larger) on medium heat. I use my dutch oven. Add the whole spices and let fry for 5-7 seconds to release flavor.
- Add the chopped onions to oil. Cook them on low medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until soft, translucent and just turning light brown. Stir as needed while they cook. Do not let them get too dark because we dont want a strong onion flavor or color in korma.
- Lower the heat and add the marinated lamb to the cooking pot. Stir gently for 2-3 minutes so the yogurt does not curdle.
- Then, raise the heat to low medium. Cook the lamb with the onions for 7 to 10 minutes until all the pink color is gone. We do not need to brown the lamb. Some oil will begin to show at the sides of the pot.
- Add the tomato sauce and salt. Stir well and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the tomatoes blend into the masala and the lamb mixture looks shiny.
- Pour in 1 cup hot water to just cover the lamb. Stir, cover the pot and cook on low for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the lamb is tender but not falling apart. Adjust the cooking time, as needed depending to the cut, quality and size of your lamb pieces. While its slow cooking, uncover and check the pot now and then and add a little hot water (¼ cup at a time) if needed. Don't add too much water. Keep the sauce thickish yet pourable, not watery. The lamb should be tender and cooked through but not falling apart.
- When the lamb is cooked, taste and adjust the salt if needed. Stir in cashew paste, heavy cream, garam masala powder and crushed kasuri methi. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes so the flavors blend together.
- Turn off the heat and let the korma rest for 15 to 20 minutes if possible.Serve warm with a little cream on top and a sprinkle of kasuri methi. Pair with naan or cumin rice.
Notes
- Don't cook cold marinated meat since it tends to toughen. Always pull the meat out of refrigerator at least 45 minutes before you begin cooking.
- If you do not have whole spices, add ⅛ teaspoon ground mace, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon ground cardamom.
- In many restaurants, they add coconut to lamb korma. You can finish this korma with coconut cream if desired. We do not prefer the coconut version so I don't add it.I use heavy cream to finish.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!