Traditional and authentic North Indian Lamb Curry Recipe prepared with homemade curry masala powder and yogurt on slow heat at the stovetop. Tender and Juicy leg-cut lamb with thickened curry is best to serve with naan or rice at dinner or lunch.
Jump to:
Looking for homemade recipes for Dinner? Check out, Mutton Biryani, Hyderabadi Mutton Masala, Lahori Mutton Karahi, and Aloo Gosht. I hope all these recipes will help to add value to your dinner table.
Indian Lamb Curry Recipe
What is Lamb? Lamb is the most delicate and tender meat of young sheep. It not only provides protein but also contains lots of multivitamins and minerals that require for building muscles and strengthen bones.
What is Curry? Curry is an Indian word from the Indian subcontinent that represents gravy-style dishes with veg and non-veg. It's a most popular dish that every house makes to serve at dinner and lunch as the main course. It basically makes a combination of meat, spices, herbs, and yogurt to prepare the dish.
Indian Lamb Curry Recipe: Here in this recipe, lamb is cooked in a form of curry using an Indian curry spice mix that I prepared at home. It's a 5-minute job to prepare curry powder to make any type of curry. Best Lamb curry has a special taste and unique aroma showing thick gravy to eat with roti or rice.
I prefer to cook lamb with bones as the bone has a special taste of bone marrow that makes the flavor of curry tastier. I am inspired by Jamie Oliver's north Indian lamb curry that he cooked with shoulder cut and it was the best.
My mother used to make this recipe every week and we all love to have it with homemade roti or sometimes with masala rice. It's simple and easy to make! You can also try the same recipe with mutton or chicken.
Is it Punjabi lamb curry or south Indian? It's more like South Indian lamb curry. In fact, there is not much difference in ingredients only the way of making differs. Some people use fenugreek leaves in Punjabi curry.
If you love to order lamb curry from nearby restaurant then you can try this simple and easy recipe that you prepare with the homemade curry spice mix and I am sure, it will give you the best taste on the table.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Lamb/Mutton - Used with bones as it makes a tasty stock in curry spices.
Oil - Use any canola or sunflower oil. It's important to cook curry in a little more oil to fry onions and other meat on high heat. A perfect curry dish separates oil at the top of the dish which makes it distinguished from other dishes.
Chopped Onion - Used purple onions (Indian style). Avoid using white onions to make perfect Indian flavor curry.
Ginger Garlic Paste - fine paste of ginger and garlic is used as it helps to make a smooth curry texture.
Curry Powder: Homemade curry powder is a substitute for other spices. You can just use this in teaspoons and it will create a perfect taste of curry.
Yogurt - I used greek yogurt which is thick and easily blend in curry.
Salt - Lamb is slightly salty in taste and curry powder also contains salt so used ½ teaspoon of salt was in the curry which was according to the ingredients requirements.
Water - Used to cook the curry and tender the lamb. It will also make a curry texture thick and runny.
How To Make Indian Lamb Curry
(Stovetop Recipe)
First, heat up the pan and add oil to fry chopped onions. As the onions start to change color to pink then add ginger garlic paste and saute for few seconds on high heat. Then add lamb and cook on high heat until the meat starts to change color. It's time to add curry powder (follow the recipe of homemade curry powder step by step). Keep stirring when cooking curry powder and meat together until it starts to separate oil in the pan. Add yogurt and mix well using the spoon to form a smooth curry paste. As the yogurt is mixed with curry and forms a one-tone paste then add water and mix well.
Cover and cook for about 35 minutes on slow heat to tender the meat. After 35 minutes, check the meat and water level in curry. When the oil appears at the top of the curry then time to turn off the stovetop and dish out. Lamb curry is ready to serve.
In this recipe, I used homemade Garam Masala Powder in Curry Powder.
Can I make curry without curry powder?
Yes, you can! curry powder is just for creating convenience as it contains all the spices in one place that you can use in all types of curry. If you are not using curry powder then individually use red chili, turmeric, coriander, and garam masala powder to form a perfect curry texture.
Instant Pot Lamb Curry Recipe
Here are steps to make this lamb curry in Instant pot. You can also make the same recipe in pressure cooker on stove top.
- Start the instant pot in Sauté mode and let it heat. Add onions, ginger and garlic paste. Sauté for 2 minutes until the onions start to change color.
- Add lamb and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the lamb changes the color and stop releasing water.
- Now add homemade curry masala powder and cook for 2 minutes to get rid with spice rawness.
- Add yogurt and mix well to make one tone curry texture.
- Add the water and give it a good mix. Press cancel and close lid with the vent in sealing position.
- Start the instant pot in Manual or Pressure cook mode on high pressure for 30 minutes.
- When the instant pot beeps, quick release the pressure manually and open the lid.
- Check the curry consistency, or let it simmer on sauté mode for 4-5 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.
- Dish out and serve!
Watch Video
Thanks for watching the video! If you enjoy it, please subscribe to our Youtube Channel and hit the bell icon to get a video alert.
Serving Ideas
There are several serving suggestions that you can add with lamb curry. If you are setting Indian table for dinner then serve it with:
Flatbread: Tandoori Naan, Roghni Naan, Garlic Naan, chapati or phulka.
Rice: Steamed rice, or Garlic butter rice.
Salad: Simple Veg Salad
Yogurt: Some people like me love to eat fresh yogurt with curry.
Chutney: Green chutney taste so good if you are eating curry with rice.
Pickle (Achaar): Many people serve achaar with curry but it all depends on the taste. If you like, you can have it.
Don't forget to serve tea after eating meat. Here I love to serve Orange peel tea or lemon tea which is good in taste and also helps to digest food.
How to Store Leftover?
You can simply store the leftover in an airtight container for 3 days in the refrigerator. Don't store in the container when the curry is hot. It should be at room temperature while storing.
To reheat the curry, simply take it out and place it in a pan and add little water and cook on the stovetop on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. As it starts bubbling then turn the heat to low and simmer it for about 5 minutes. It will be ready like a fresh curry.
Q & A
You can make it in both ways but the curry with bones is more tasty and healthy as compared to cook without bones. Bones have a special taste and when it cooks on slow heat then release juices and oil from bones and marrow that make a perfect taste of curry.
Yes, you can use the same curry recipe to make with mutton or chicken.
The most tender and juicy part of the lamb is Lion. Normally people used this cut for roasting. A shoulder and leg cut is best for slow cooking.
I prefer to cook curry with bones as it makes a perfect taste in slow-heat cooking. The shoulder and leg cut is the best as it's more tender, juicy, and moist.
Whenever you take meat try to take fresh meat that is more pink or bright red in color. Avoid if it shades like purple or gets darker as it's old meat that must be smelly or will not turn out so well in taste.
Follow the few tips when cooking lamb or any other meat:
Always wash before cooking.
Cook on high heat and keep stirring until the meat changes color. This is the most recommended method to get rid of the meat smell.
If it's so smelly then apply fresh lemon juice and marinate for 01 hour before cooking.
Yes, you can! curry powder is just for creating convenience as it contains all the spices in one place that you can use in all types of curry.
More or less it's a South Indian lamb curry which is similar to South Indian style curry. Many restaurants in Punjab Pindi use the same method to cook this curry. It will give the best flavor ever.
Related Recipes: Lamb Spinach Curry (Lamb Saag) | Lamb Karahi
Share this recipe with your family and friends. It would be great if you leave your feedback in the comment box. If you make this recipe at home then share a picture with the hashtag #hinzcooking
More Lamb Recipes
North Indian Lamb Curry Recipe
Ingredients
Curry Masala Ingredients
- 500 g Lamb/Mutton
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 1 cup Chopped Onion
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 2.5 teaspoon Curry Powder
- 1 tablespoon Yogurt
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Water
Curry Powder Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ⅓ teaspoon Ginger Powder
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ⅓ teaspoon Mango Powder optional
- 2 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Preparation of Curry Powder
- In a bowl, add Cayenne Pepper, Coriander Powder, Garlic Powder, Ginger Powder, Black Pepper Powder, Cumin Powder, Turmeric Powder, Mango Powder, Garam Masala Powder, Red Chili Powder, and Salt.
- Mix well to combine all the spices.
Preparation of Lamb Curry (Stovetop)
- In a heating pan, add oil and chopped onions. Fry the onion until it starts to get pink.
- As the onions become aromatic and fried then add ginger garlic paste and give it a good mix.
- Now add lamb and cook on high heat until it evenly starts to change color.
- Once the lamb changed the color and stops releasing water then add homemade curry powder and cook on high heat.
- Keep stirring when cooking curry powder and meat together until it starts to seperate oil in pan.
- Now add yogurt and mix well using spoon to form a curry paste.
- As the yogurt mixed with curry and forms a one tone paste then add water and mix well.
- Cover and cook for about 35 minutes on slow heat to tender the meat.
- After 35 minutes, check the meat and water level in curry.
- When the oil appears at the top of the curry then time to turnoff stovetop and dishout.
- Lamb curry is ready to serve.
How to Cook Indian Lamb Curry in Instant Pot
- Start the instant pot in Sauté mode and let it heat.
- Add onions, ginger and garlic paste. Sauté for 2 minutes until the onions start to change color. Add lamb and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the lamb changes color and stops releasing water.
- Now add homemade curry masala powder and cook for 2 minutes to get rid with spice rawness. Add yogurt and mix well to make one tone curry texture. Add the water and give it a good mix.
- Press cancel and close the lid with the vent in a sealing position. Start the instant pot in Manual or Pressure cook mode on high pressure for 30 minutes. When the instant pot beeps, quickly release the pressure manually and open the lid.
- Check the curry consistency, or let it simmer on sauté mode for 4-5 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.
- After that, dish out and serve!
Video
Notes
- Lamb is delicate and easily tender while cooking. If you are using mutton pieces then give it a little more time to tender the meat.
- Curry powder overall creates the taste of all spices so you don't need to add any other spice.
- Don't make the curry water. If you feel there is much water after tendering meat then cook to evaporate water on high heat.
- Curry consistency needs to be thick and runny in texture.
- Use the meat with bones as it's healthy and makes a perfect taste with bone marrow.
- I prefer to use homemade garam masala in curry powder as it makes a big difference in curry taste.
- Raw lamb is little salt in flavor so monitor the salt requirements.
Hinz
Indian lamb curry is tasty and healthy food recipe to serve at dinner or lunch. It can easily prepare with homemade curry powder. Let's give it a try!