Lamb Curry Recipe
A rich, deeply spiced lamb curry recipe made with browned lamb shoulder, a properly bloomed spice base, and a low, slow braise until the meat is fall-apart tender.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
- Tongs
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Lamb
- 2½ lbs lamb shoulder trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch chunks
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Spice Base
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 4 whole cloves
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 medium yellow onions finely diced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp Madras curry powder
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½-1 tsp cayenne pepper adjust to taste
Sauce
- 1 can 14 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1½ cups beef or lamb broth
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- Fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Brown the Lamb
- Pat the lamb chunks dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, brown the lamb on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch, then transfer the browned pieces to a plate and set aside. Browning in batches rather than all at once is important here, since crowding the pot causes the lamb to steam instead of developing a proper sear.
Build the Spice Base
- In the same pot, add the whole cumin seeds, cloves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick, toasting for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the diced onions and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden brown, since well-caramelized onions form the backbone of the sauce's flavor.
- Stir in the garlic and ginger, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the ground coriander, ground cumin, Madras curry powder, turmeric, and cayenne pepper, stirring constantly for about 30-45 seconds to bloom the spices in the oil without letting them burn.
Simmer Low and Slow
- Return the browned lamb to the pot, stirring to coat it evenly in the spice mixture. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and broth, stirring to combine and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is completely fork-tender and easily pulls apart.
Finish the Curry
- Once the lamb is tender, remove the lid and let the curry simmer uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes if the sauce needs to thicken further. Stir in the plain yogurt off the heat, mixing until fully incorporated into a smooth, rich sauce.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or cayenne pepper as needed, then garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.
Notes
- Browning the lamb in batches, rather than all at once, genuinely makes a difference in the final depth of flavor, so resist the urge to skip this step even though it takes a bit longer.
- Toasting the whole spices briefly before adding the onions helps release their essential oils, intensifying the overall flavor of the finished curry.
- Deeply caramelizing the onions is one of the most important steps in this recipe, so don't rush past this stage even if it takes the full 8-10 minutes.
- Stirring the yogurt in off the heat, rather than while the curry is still boiling, prevents it from curdling and keeps the sauce smooth.
- This curry, like many braised dishes, tends to taste even better the next day once the flavors have had more time to meld, making it a great make-ahead option for entertaining.