Lamb Korma Recipe

This dish originated in Persia, brought to India during Akbar period and modified in Kashmir. The recipe varies from region to region and restaurant to restaurant. What is Korma North Indian Korma is pale yellow in color from saffron and cooked without any tomatoes or turmeric. I will try to give you a version that will be the closest to the traditional Kashmiri Korma. Kashmir Pandits substitute onion and garlic with Asafetida. You can use this recipe with mutton or beef as well.

What is the difference between Rogan Josh and Korma

How to cook lamb?

Ingredients

1. Lamb bone-less cut into 1 to 1½" cubes: 1 pound

2. Lamb meat on bones (shank) cut about 2" long: 1 pound
3. Ghee: ¼ cup

4. Cumin seeds: ½ teaspoon

5. Chopped onions: 1 cup

6. Garlic peeled cloves: 4

7. Ginger fresh peeled: 1"

8. Cinnamon 3" long ¼" wide: 2 broken in half
9. Black Cardamom crack open the pods: 4
10. Cloves: 7
11. Black peppercorn: 8

12. Dahi (Yogurt): 1 Cup
13. Ground white pepper: 1 Tablespoon
14. Salt: 1 teaspoon

15. Water #1: ½ cup

16. Blanched Almonds: ¼ cup

17. Cashews: 2 Tablespoon

18. Raisins: 2 Tablespoon

19. Saffron: ½ teaspoon

20. Water#2: 1½ Cups

Method

1. Process Onions, Garlic and Ginger in a food processor to make a paste. Set aside.

2. Process Almonds, Cashews and water#1 to make a paste set aside.

3. In a heavy bottom pan, heat Ghee. Add Lamb fry till all sides are seared, and the meat is brown. Remove lamb and set aside.

3. Add cumin seeds to hot ghee, fry till brown about 2 minutes

4. Add Onion/Garlic/Ginger paste from step 1. Fry till most of the moisture is gone. It will start turning greenish brown.

5. Add Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom, and peppercorn. Fry about 2 minutes.

6. Add Lamb from step 3.

7. Add Dahi ¼ cup. Cook till yogurt is consumed about 2 minutes. Repeat till all the Yogurt is consumed.

8. Add ¼ cup of water #2. Simmer covered on low heat. Most of the water is gone about 4 minutes. Repeat this step till all the water is used up. You should be left with tender lamb in a light saffron colored thick creamy gravy. If the lamb is not yet tender, add more water and repeat.

9. Crumble saffron and sprinkle over lam. Add white pepper, salt, raisins and nut paste from step 2.

10. Cook covered on low heat for about 6 minutes.