You are hereRecipe Index » Home » All Recipes » Video » Indian Lamb Curry
Posted onUpdated on
115 Comments
This post contains links to affiliate websites, such as Amazon, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you using these links. We appreciate your support!
Recipe Video Print Pin Recipe
This authentic Indian lamb curry is made with lamb shoulder. It’s simmered with fragrant spices, caramelized onions, and Greek yogurt until fork-tender. Served over Indian bread or basmati rice, this is a meal on its own.
Indian cuisine is a vibrant tapestry of flavors, colors, and aromas, renowned for its diverse range of spices and ingredients. From hearty vegetarian dishes like dal and paneer tikka to aromatic biryanis and tandoori specialties, Indian food offers a culinary adventure for every palate.
One of the most beloved dishes in Indian cuisine is lamb curry, a rich and fragrant stew made with tender lamb pieces simmered in a spiced tomato-based sauce. The dish is a symphony of flavors, with spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala infusing the meat with warmth and depth. Served with fluffy rice or buttery naan bread, lamb curry is a true delight for lovers of Indian food, offering a taste of the exotic and the comforting all in one dish.
Today, I bring you another addition to my curry recipes. I have shared a few different lamb curries with you already. And yet, this one is another yogurt-based lamb curry.
Table of Contents
Why make this lamb curry?
- This is my authentic Indian curry the way mom used to make it, with no shortcut. No readymade curry powder and quick cooking methods. And it’s simply delicious!
- If you look at the recipe, you will see every addition of ingredients requires a few minutes of sautéing, caramelizing, and cooking. Give it time, don’t rush, and you will be amazed!!
- One of the secrets to this curry is to cook the onions until they are caramelized. These caramelized onions almost disappear into the sauce leaving their wonderful taste and flavor.
- The dutch oven helps cook the meat evenly and without drying out all the moisture, so you won’t need to add any additional water as it cooks.
- And, you can also make this in the pressure cooker or instant pot if you don’t have time to slow-cook. (details below)
- You can also make this with goat meat which is called mutton curry or mutton masala in Indian restaurants.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Lamb – I prefer to use a lamb shoulder or leg of lamb for this dish. The meat does take longer to cook, but it comes out tender and juicy and absorbs all those wonderful spices. You can use lamb stew meat. While you can use boneless lamb I like to leave a few bones in for flavor.
- Onions – I love to use red onions. They add a bit of sweetness, which is very desirable. And it is very important that you cook the onions longer and slower. This will help caramelize the onions, which not just enhances the taste, but also adds that touch of deep red color to this dish (which I love).
- Garlic ginger – of course, you want to use fresh garlic cloves and fresh ginger for the best flavor with curry.
- Yogurt – Meat and dairy cooked together have a unique taste. In addition, yogurt also tenderizes the meat and makes it cook faster. And, it has a rich and creamy taste. If you can’t use yogurt you can use coconut milk or coconut cream too.
- Spices – There really is coriander, cumin, paprika, and cayenne, which you can find on any supermarket spice rack. But you can also use 4 tbsp of store-bought or homemade curry powder if you don’t have these on hand.
- Spice mix – The whole spices are used to perfume the dish. If you don’t have the whole spices you can use store-bought or homemade garam masala. Garam masala is a combination of warm spices like cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves, etc..
Lamb curry – stovetop
- In aDutch ovenor heavy bottomskillet,add the oil, ghee, and whole spices.
Pro tip– if possible use a Dutch oven as it retains heat evenly and will cook without losing too much liquid. if not, use a heavy bottom skillet with a tight lid. - Then, add onions and saute until caramelized, almost brown – about 10 minutes (see video).
Pro tip– depending on the heat it may take 10 to 15 minutes to caramelize the onions. Do not cook on high as it will burn the onions not caramelize them.
- Next, add the ginger and garlic – saute for another minute. Add the lamb pieces, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until the lamb is no longer pink.
Pro tip– ginger and garlic can burn easily so keep the heat on medium. Then turn the heat a little higher to sear the lamb on all sides.
- Then, add the ground spices and chopped tomatoes. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Next, add the yogurt. Combine it then add 1/2 cup of water. Season with salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
Pro tip– stir the yogurt first in a small bowl to ensure there are no lumps before you add it to the lamb otherwise you will have lumps in the curry.
- Continue to simmer on the stovetop on medium-low heat, stirring frequently until meat is cooked through and becomes fork-tender – about 1 to 1 ½ hour adding water if necessary.
Pro tip– Always ensure you have enough water so the meat has enough moisture to cook. If necessary add ¼ to ½ cup more. - When cooked to fork-tender, taste and adjust seasoning. Adjust gravy by adding a bit more water depending on how you going to serve it.
Pro tip– If you serve it with chapati, naan, or roti – keep it thick. If you serve it with rice, add a little water to make gravy. - Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley.
Instant pot or pressure cooker
Instead of using a dutch oven, saute in the stovetop pressure cooker or instant pot. Once you have sauteed all the ingredients.
- Pressure cookon medium heat for 40 to 45 minutes in a stovetoppressure cooker.
- Instant pot– set theinstant potto manual. Saute then pressure cook on high for 25 minutes, then use manual release.
- Instant Pot Lamb Curry or Slow Cooker Lamb Curry Recipe
- Meatball Kofta Curry, Beef Mince Curry with Peas
- Quick Chicken Curry, Instant Pot Chicken Curry, Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
- Chickpeas Curry – Channa Masala, Lentil Chicken Curry, Spinach Tofu Curry
- Easiest Fish Curry – 6 Ingredients
- See all Indian recipes
Bring Bold Flavor to Your Meals with Curry Lentils
Delicious Butternut Squash Curry Recipe
Spice Up Your Evening: Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe for Flavorful Delights
Curry Comfort: Baked Curried Chicken Thighs Recipe for Exquisite Flavor
Tips for Success
- Use the right lamb cuts such as lamb shoulder, leg of lamb, or lamb stew meat when making curry. Today, I am using boneless, but lamb with bones is ideal for making curry as the bone marrow adds more flavor. Cut the lamb into small pieces, about 2 to 3 inches each. Large pieces will take longer to cook
- If you prefer you can sear the lamb pieces in batches in a tablespoon of ghee or oil and set them aside. This adds more caramelization and depth of flavor but it is not necessary.
- Cook the onions until caramelized and cook on low to avoid burning. There is a huge difference in flavor when you cook the lamb with just sauteed onions compared to caramelized onions.
- Do not skip the cooking time after adding each ingredient. Indian curry is about adding layers of flavor so don’t make haste.
- I prefer to use Greek yogurt because it is thicker. You may need to reduce some of the cooking liquid if you use regular yogurt.
- If you use a Dutch oven, you will not need any extra cooking liquid. For other pans, you may need to add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water every time you stir to prevent burning. The lamb must be cooked until soft enough to melt in the mouth.
- See the ingredients and substitutes above if you don’t have the spices.
Creative ways to serve or use leftover lamb curry
- Traditional style: Conventionally serve lamb curry with steamedbasmati riceor fragrant saffron rice. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) and serve with warmnaan breadorrotion the side. This classic combination allows you to savor the rich flavors of the dish.
- Lamb Tacos: Put a twist on your lamb curry by serving it in taco shells or soft tortillas. Fill each taco with a generous amount of lamb, and top it with some crunchy lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced onions, and a dollop of cooling yogurt orraita. This fusion of Indian and Mexican flavors can be a delightful surprise.
- Lamb pizza:Turn your lamb into a unique pizza topping. Skip the tomato sauce on apizza crustand add a generous amount of lamb curry as the base. Sprinkle some grated cheese (such as mozzarella or feta), sliced onions, and bell peppers. Bake until the crust is crispy and the cheese melts. This fusion pizza will satisfy your cravings for both Indian and Italian cuisine.
- Lamb stuffed bell peppers:Transform your lamb curry into a filling for stuffed bell peppers. Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds. Stuff the peppers with a mixture of curried lamb and cooked rice or couscous. Bake in the oven until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated. This dish provides a unique and colorful presentation.
- Lamb sliders: Create delicious sliders by placing a spoonful of lamb curry on tinybunsor slider rolls. Top with caramelized onions, sliced cucumbers, and a mint chutney or yogurt dollop. Serve these bite-sized delights as appetizers or party snacks.
- Lamb bowls:Build flavorful bowls by layering lamb over a base of cooked quinoa, couscous, or rice. Add a variety of toppings such as diced tomatoes, cucumber slices, shredded lettuce, chopped mint, and a drizzle of yogurt ortahini sauce. These bowls make for a wholesome and satisfying meal.
- Lamb Pies: Create individual-sized lamb rogan josh pies by filling smallpastry casesorpuff pastrycups with the lamb. Bake them until the pastry is golden and crisp. These savory pies can be served as appetizers or a main course with a side salad.
- Leg of Lamb, Boneless Leg of Lamb
- Lamb Shanks, Slow Cooker Veal Shanks
- Braised Lamb in Red Wine, Lamb Roast Shoulder Boneless
- Pappardelle Pasta with Lamb
- Perfect Lamb Chops with Sauce, or Grilled Lamb Chops
- See all lamb recipes
Taste the Mediterranean: Delicious Lamb Chops
Bite-Sized Bliss: Meatball Sliders Recipe for Irresistible Appetizers
Savor the Succulent Taste of Braised Lamb Shanks (Stovetop)
Boneless Roast Lamb
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this lamb curry without yogurt?
Yes, you can use the same amount of coconut yogurt or coconut cream. The taste will be slightly different but it’s a good difference.
Can I use other meats to make this Indian lamb curry?
You can also use mutton, beef, chicken, or pork. And you must also try my slow-cooked chicken curry, slow-cooked beef curry, lamb masala or Lamb rogan josh.
What can I serve this curry with?
You can eat Indian lamb curry with stovetop Indian naan or garlic naan, Indian chapati, Sweet potato chapati, or steamed basmati rice, or try my rice pilaf with fruit and nuts. Today, I serve it with some homemade roti, which is an Indian no-yeast flatbread.
Can I make this lamb curry in an instant pot or pressure cooker?
Absolutely! Instead of using a dutch oven, saute in the stovetop pressure cooker or instant pot. Once you have sauteed all the ingredients.
Pressure cook on medium heat for 40 to 45 minutes in a stovetop pressure cooker.
Instant pot – set the instant pot to manual. Saute then pressure cook on high for 25 minutes, then use manual release.
Effortlessly Delicious: Slow Cooker Beef Korma with Shanks
Saffron Rice Pilaf
Indian Cooking – A Beginners Guide
The Secrets to Tender and Juicy Goat Curry Recipe
Did you enjoy this recipe? Please ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ it.
Save itfor later.
You can also find a collection of myrecipesand tutorialshere onPinterest. Follow me onFacebook,Twitter,andInstagram.
And, don’t forget tosubscribeto my blog to receive new recipes by email.
Indian Lamb Curry
Author: Veena Azmanov
Print Pin Rate
Save Grow Add to Favorite Add to Collection
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins
Coooking Temperature: Stovetop
Calories: 454kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 8 servings
Description
This authentic Indian lamb curry is made with lamb shoulder. It's simmered with fragrant spices, caramelized onions, and Greek yogurt until fork-tender. Served over Indian bread or rice, this is a meal on its own.
Video
Ingredients
- 2 lb (900 g) Lamb (leg or shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 1 tbsp Oil (Cooking or Olive oil )
- 1 tbsp Ghee (or oil)
- 2 tbsp Garlic (4 large garlic cloves minced)
- 2 tbsp Ginger (3-inch fresh ginger grated)
- 3 cups Onions (red or brown finely chopped)
- 1 cup Tomatoes (chopped)
- ¾ cup (180 ml) Yogurt (Greek, plain)
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
Dry spices
- 2 Cinnamon stick
- 8 Cloves
- 8 Green cardamoms
- 2 Black cardamoms
- 3 Bay leaves
- 1 Mace ((optional))
Spice mix
- 2 tbsp Coriander powder
- ¾ tbsp Cumin powder
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Cayenne (hot)
- 1 tbsp Paprika (sweet)
- 1 tbsp Fenugreek leaves ((optional))
- ½ tsp Garam masala powder
Follow Veena Azmanov on Pinterest
Instructions
In a Dutch oven or heavy bottom skillet, add the oil, ghee, and whole spices.
Pro tip – if possible use a Dutch oven as it retains heat evenly and will cook without losing too much liquid. if not, use a heavy bottom skillet with a tight lid.
1 tbsp Oil, 1 tbsp Ghee, 2 Cinnamon stick, 8 Cloves, 8 Green cardamoms, 2 Black cardamoms, 3 Bay leaves, 1 Mace
Then, add onions and saute until caramelized, almost brown – about 10 minutes (see video).
Pro tip – depending on the heat it may take 10 to 15 minutes to caramelize the onions. Do not cook on high as it will burn the onions not caramelize.
3 cups Onions
Next, add the ginger and garlic – saute for another minute. Add the lamb pieces, saute for 2 to 3 minutes until the lamb is no longer pink.
Pro tip – ginger and garlic can burn easily so keep the heat on medium. Then turn the heat a little higher to sear the lamb on all sides.
2 tbsp Garlic, 2 tbsp Ginger, 2 lb Lamb
Then, add the ground spices and chopped tomatoes. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
2 tbsp Coriander powder, ¾ tbsp Cumin powder, ¼ tsp Turmeric powder, 1 tbsp Cayenne, 1 tbsp Paprika, 1 tbsp Fenugreek leaves, ½ tsp Garam masala powder, 1 cup Tomatoes
Next, add the yogurt. Combine it then add 1/2 cup water. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
Pro tip – stir the yogurt separately in a small bowl to ensure there are no lumps before you add it to the lamb otherwise you will have lumps in the curry.
¾ cup Yogurt, ½ tsp Black pepper, 1 tsp Kosher salt, 1 tbsp Lemon juice
Continue to simmer it on the stovetop on medium-low heat stirring frequently until meat is cooked through and becomes fork-tender – about 1 to 1 ½ hour adding water if necessary.
Pro tip – Always ensure you have enough water so the meat has enough moisture to cook. If necessary add ¼ to ½ cup more.
When cooked to fork-tender, taste and adjust seasoning. Adjust gravy by adding a bit more water depending on how you going to serve it.
Pro tip– If you serve it with chapati, naan, or roti – keep it thick. If you serve with rice, add a little water to make a gravy.
Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Use the right lamb cuts such as lamb shoulder, leg of lamb, or lamb stew meat when making curry. Today, I am using boneless, but lamb with bones is ideal for making curry as the bone marrow adds more flavor. Cut the lamb into small pieces, about 2 to 3 inches each. Large pieces will take longer to cook
- If you prefer you can sear the lamb pieces in batches in a tablespoon of ghee or oil and set them aside. This adds more caramelization and depth of flavor but it is not necessary.
- Cook the onions until caramelized and cook on low to avoid burning. There is a huge difference in flavor when you cook the lamb with just sauteed onions compared to caramelized onions.
- Do not skip the cooking time after adding each ingredient. Indian curry is about adding layers of flavor so don’t make haste.
- I prefer to use Greek yogurt because it is thicker. You may need to reduce some of the cooking liquid if you use regular yogurt.
- If you use a Dutch oven, you will not need any extra cooking liquid. For other pans, you may need to add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water every time you stir to prevent burning. The lamb must be cooked until soft enough to melt in the mouth.
- See the ingredients and substitutes above if you don’t have the spices.
- Pressure cooking– Instead of using a dutch oven, saute in the stovetop pressure cooker or instant pot.
- Once you have sauteed all the ingredients. Pressure cook on medium heat for 40 to 45 minutes in a stovetop pressure cooker.
- Instant pot – set the instant pot to manual. Saute then pressure cook on high for 25 minutes, then use manual release.
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Indian Lamb Curry
Amount per Serving
Calories
454
% Daily Value*
Fat
35
g
54
%
Saturated Fat
15
g
75
%
Cholesterol
100
mg
33
%
Sodium
95
mg
4
%
Potassium
554
mg
16
%
Carbohydrates
13
g
4
%
Fiber
3
g
12
%
Sugar
5
g
6
%
Protein
23
g
46
%
Vitamin A
900
IU
18
%
Vitamin C
11
mg
13
%
Calcium
106
mg
11
%
Iron
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Did you make this recipe? Share it with me.Tag @veenaazmanov on instagram or #hashtag it #veenaazmanov
Add to Collection
Veena Azmanov
Veena is an experienced food and cake decorating blogger, with over a decade of experience. Across her three blogs, Veena Azmanov, Cake Decorating Tutorials, and East Indian Recipes, she provides readers with delicious, easy and practical recipes that feature instructional videos and tutorials. As an expert in her field, Veena has even been featured in countless online magazines and publications worldwide. Plus, she offers free online masterclasses to guide novice cooks and bakers to success! Stay connected with her on your favorite social media as well.
Similar Posts
Grilled Goodness: Exploring the Delightful World of Shish Tawook
Homemade Butterscotch
No-Knead Bread Without a Dutch Oven
Soft Pumpkin Crescent Rolls
Ultimate Frosted Strawberry Cake Recipe for Any Occasion
Discover the Secret to Juicy and Tender Baked Salmon
I’ve been searching for an authentic curry recipe, that delivers on its promises and I have found one with this recipe. Thank you for sharing. I made this with lamb and added about a cup more tomatoes and a little less onion…because that is what I had, not that I was challenging the recipe. I also added 1 tsp of garam masala…because I like the taste. I thought the amount of spices was perfect. I’ve never made a curry like this before. It was delicious! I believe this will become a staple in my household. My mom doesn’t eat lamb, do you think it would taste good with chickpeas?Reply
Hey Helen. I think it is wonderful that you customized the recipe to suit your own preferences with fewer onions and more tomatoes. Yes, chickpeas or vegetables would work too, of course with adjustments made to cooking times and spices. If you like Indian food visit my Indian blog
Reply
