royal lamb korma

This lamb dish, korma bahadur shahi, has all that is special about Mughal cuisine. Mild, aromatic spices, dried fruit, nuts, and the main ingredient highlighted to perfection.

prepare: 30

cook: 2

marinate: 1

total time: 1 2 30

difficulty: moderate

yield: 4 servings

calories: 696 kcal

diet: gluten free

cuisine: Indian, mughlai

equipment

large bowl
small frypan
small bowl
wide pan with lid
slotted spoon

ingredients

800 g lamb leg - trimmed and diced (see notes)

for the marinade

400 ml yoghurt
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
4 cloves garlic - crushed

for the spices

50 ml milk - warm
¼ tsp saffron threads
50 g raisins
1 tbsp coriander seeds
12 green cardamom pods - broken open
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 blade mace
1 stick cassia
1 tsp ginger powder
36 raw cashews
½ cup water - warm
4 tbsp ghee

for cooking

1 red onion - finely chopped
1 tsp salt
6 dried figs - chopped
3 tbsp yoghurt
3 tbsp crème fraiche

for serving

30 g almonds - slivered
50 g raw pistachios - chopped
1 tbsp coriander leaves

metricUS

instructions

to marinate

Whisk the yogurt, Kashmiri chilli powder and garlic in a large bowl. Add the lamb pieces, mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight.

to prepare the spices

Put the warm milk into a cup, add the saffron, stir, then set aside to steep.
Place the raisins into a cup of hot water and set aside.
Place the coriander, cardamom, cumin, mace, and cassia into a small pan on medium heat. Toast the spices until aromatic, then remove them from the heat and allow them to cool. Once cooled, grind them to a fine powder and set aside.
Place these ground spices in a small bowl and add the ginger powder. Add a little water and mix to make a smooth paste. Set aside.
Grind 24 of the cashews and the lukewarm water to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Heat the ghee in a large pan over medium-low heat and fry the remaining 12 cashews until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to remove, then set aside on kitchen paper to drain. Retain the pan and ghee for cooking.

to cook

Add the onion to the retained pan, on medium-low heat. Sprinkle with the salt and fry for ten minutes or until golden brown.
Stir in the spice paste and cook until fragrant. Reduce heat to low, add a little water to prevent paste drying out and cook until the ghee begins to separate.
Add the lamb with its marinade and the figs to the pan. Stir well. Add the yoghurt to the pan, one spoonful at a time to ensure it is well incorporated before adding the next spoonful. Cook for ten minutes or until the gravy begins to thicken. Increase the heat and fry the mixture to take on some colour. If necessary, loosen it with a little more water.
Reduce the heat and cover the pan. Simmer until the lamb is cooked. This will take about an hour. Stir occasionally and add as little water as possible during this time to stop the gravy from burning during the cooking. It will need water - you may end up adding around two cups of water during this time.
Uncover the pan and raise the heat to medium. Add the cashew paste and mix well. Cook for another 30 minutes, stirring frequently, allowing the gravy to reduce and thicken and the lamb to become tender.
Reduce heat to low, add the crème fraiche, mix, and bring back to a low simmer. Do not allow the gravy to boil or it will split.

to serve

Drain the raisins and add them with the almonds and pistachios to the gravy. Add the saffron-infused milk and gently mix well.
Place into a serving bowl. Garnish with coriander and the reserved cashews. Serve.

notes

Dice the lamb into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces. Your butcher will likely do this for you.

private notes

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nutrition