Who knew that making a delicious Indian meal from scratch could be this doable?! We decided to try making lamb korma at home and, we’ve gotta say, the hardest part about this dish is tracking down all the spices the rest is a breeze! The trick with this recipe is to brown the meat ahead of time, so you get the best flavor possible, but to then go low and slow the rest of the way; meaning cooking it at a very low temperature for a long period of time so it will be as juicy and tender as possible. Another thing to note is that this korma is a fantastic make-ahead meal. It’s delicious right when you first make it, but it’s even better one or two days later when all the flavors truly develop and blend together if ever you wanted to eliminate party prep with an easy dish to impress people, this is the one!
One-Pot Lamb Korma
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless lamb (shoulder or leg), cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 large yellow onions, chopped
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup plain yogurt (full-fat; Greek is fine)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
- 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt, to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 225º F and place racks in the lower third of the oven.
- Place the garlic cloves, ginger and water in a food processor and pulse into a paste. Scrape down the sides and paste until smooth. Set aside.
- Set a large Dutch oven or oven-proof pot over high heat and melt oil (or ghee). In batches, brown lamb pieces and transfer to a bowl. This will really help flavor meat.
- Lower heat to medium-high and add diced onions, salt, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, paprika, coriander and cayenne pepper.
- Cook for 30-60 seconds to toast the spices, then add garlic ginger paste and cook until water in paste has evaporated.
- Return lamb (and juices) to the pot, then pour in coconut milk and yogurt, stir well and bring to a boil.
- Cover and place in the oven, baking for 1-2 hours, or until lamb is tender.
- Remove from oven and taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for 1-2 days so flavors continue to develop and marinate.
- Serve with basmati rice or naan.
Recipe adapted from The Kitchn