My slow-cooked lamb korma recipe is luxuriously creamy, slightly sweet, and filled with lamb so perfectly soft, it falls off the fork.
There are few things I love more than an indulgent korma, and while I can't claim any authentic heritage informs my cooking, I do believe that this is a dish that shouldn't be rushed.
This meal is all about getting back to simple, cost-effective cooking. We're talking minimal fuss and maximum taste; one-pot cooking, slow cookers and big bowls of delicious grub.
I've steered away from the more expensive cuts and bought 'stewing chunks' at the recommendation of my butcher. In this case, a combination of scrag, middle neck and shoulder. Delicious but totally affordable.
Here's how to make my slow cooked lamb korma.
Ingredients
- 700 g (1½ lb) lamb shoulder diced
- 1 inch fresh ginger grated
- 3 cloves fresh garlic grated
- 2 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp mild chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 5 cardamom pods crushed, large pieces of skin removed
- 1/2 tsp (½ tsp) ground coriander
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 brown onion peeled and cut into eighths
- 2 fresh tomatoes cut into eights
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 500 ml (2 cups) vegetable stock gluten free if required
- 30 g (2 tbsp) salted butter
- 300 ml (2 + ¼ cups) double cream
- 1 tbsp muscovado sugar
- 60 g (½ cup +2 tbsp) ground almonds
- 1 handful fresh coriander
Equipment
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 140C/245F/120C fan.
First, make the marinade. Put the turmeric, garam masala, chilli powder, ground cardamom, ground coriander in a large bowl.
Add the ginger and garlic.
Add 1 tbsp olive oil.
Mix into a paste.
Add the lamb chunks and mix to coat evenly.
Heat the remaining oil in a large, casserole dish (make sure it has a lid as you’ll need that later).
When the oil sizzles, add the meat with the onions.
Fry until the spice aromas are released and the onions start to soften.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, almonds, butter and sugar.
Add the vegetable stock.
Mix well.
Bring up to a simmer, then put the lid on the dish and put the whole thing in the oven for 3.5 hours.
If your meat has released a lot of oil, you may wish to skim some off the top at this stage.
Remove from the oven, add the cream.
Stir through.
Return to the oven, this time without the lid, and bake for a final 30-45 minutes until it reaches your desired thickness.
Serve up to the table with plenty of basmati rice and a good sprinkling of fresh coriander.
Yummy! The lamb just falls apart - so tender!
I hope this has inspired you to try out your own lamb recipes. What ideas will you try?
More tips and suggestions for making the perfect korma and what to serve it with.
Is lamb korma easy to make?
Lamb korma is very easy to make and pretty forgiving when it comes to cooking times and ingredient quantities. I'd recommend you cut your veg and prepare your spice measurements ahead of time to make sure everything go extra smoothly.
How can I thicken my lamb korma?
The easiest way of thickening a curry is to simply reduce the water content by letting it cook for longer, so continue to cook in the dish with the lid off. If you're in a hurry you can transfer it into a saucepan and reduce it over a low heat.
You can also use yogurt to thicken the dish, which will also make the korma a little milder too.
As this is a tomato-based recipe you can also add a tablespoon more tomato puree to thicken, but remember tomato puree has quite a strong taste so don't go overboard.
If you're in a rush you can use cornflour, which will definitely do the job, but will also change the texture. In a bowl or cup mix 2 teaspoons of cornflour with a few drops of water - enough to form a thin paste. Add the paste to the korma and stir through, then bring back up to heat to thicken.
Is lamb korma spicy? How do I make my lamb korma less spicy? How do I make my lamb korma more spicy?
Kormas, in general, are relatively mild and this recipe, in particular, should be fine for most children as long as you know they're comfortable with a little spice.
If you would like an even milder curry simply use less chilli powder, and if you would like more of a kick then add more.
Unfortunately, there's no easy way to make an already spicy slow-cooked korma less spicy, so just make a note to use less chilli powder next time.
How do I make my lamb korma creamier?
Due to the slow cooking and natural fats of the lamb combined with the oils your korma will be a lovely natural kind of creamy, but if you'd prefer something just a little smoother you can add a couple of tablespoons of yogurt too.
Where can I buy lamb shoulder/scrag/middle/neck and shoulder? Where can I buy spices?
For the meat it's a good idea to talk to your local butcher as they will be able to point you to the best cuts of meat for your budget, and help you make substitutions if they don't have what you're looking for. They will also be able to give you plenty of advice on cooking methods and how to get the best out of any particular cut. The meat aisle in your local supermarket should also offer plenty of variety of that will generally be after and need longer cooking times to become melt in the mouth soft.
All the spices listed here should be available your local supermarket, but you may have trouble finding some of them in smaller shops. Supermarkets will often have more than one spice section (a 'general' one and ones more related to world regions).
The products in the general section will usually come in glass jars and will often be more expensive than the stuff in plastic bags, so if you think you will use your spices up within a relatively short time it pays to pay a little more to get a lot more produce. Ground spices will generally last for 2 to 3 years, but you may notice a slight decrease in flavor and increase in bitterness as time goes on.
How can I tell if the lamb has gone bad? How can I tell if the spices are old?
The easiest way to tell if meat has gone off is to smell it - humans are highly sensitive to rotten meat, so if anything smells peculiar you should be able to tell immediately - you will get a sharp and unpleasant smell. Fresh meat doesn't have a strong odour. You can also visually inspect the meat - lamb is a red meat so should be a deep red colour - if it has visible signs of spoilage don't eat it.
While dried and ground spices are generally OK to eat for many years they do begin to lose their oils as soon as they've been ground, and will lose a little bit of flavour as time goes on. It's best best to store them in a cool dry place away from sunlight and to consume them within a year of purchase, but if you're looking to use up something that's been in the space rack for longer, and doesn't show any signs of spoilage it should be fine to do so.
Is this lamb korma suitable for vegetarians? What about vegans?
As this recipe contains lamb it's not vegetarian, but I find substituting the lamb for a vegetarian or vegan substitute works really well in this recipe - if you can't find lamb I'd go for chicken.
If you want to make a fully vegan alternative you can also substitute the double cream and butter for a vegan butter/yogurt. I think unsweetened soya yogurt works well, although you may want to use a little less than if you were using cream as it is generally thinner than double cream.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
This recipe is gluten free, just make sure that no gluten containing ingredients have been added to your vegetable stock cube (if using one) or the ground almonds.
Is this recipe keto-friendly?
While nothing in this dish (other than the small amount of sugar) is exactly keto unfriendly due to the quantities used there will be roughly 19g of carbs per serving, which is likely too high for a keto diet.
Are lamb kormas healthy?
Kormas are a great source for protein and a variety of important nutrients without being too high in fat, so make a great addition to put into your family's meal rotation.
Just be careful not to go overboard on the extras such as white rice and naan breads!
Is this recipe safe to eat while pregnant?
As long as you make sure that you follow good hygiene practices and the lamb is safely cooked through, there shouldn't be any issues with eating this dish while pregnant.
Obviously, individual health needs vary and you should consult with your health professional about anything you are unsure of.
What goes well with a lamb korma?
Aside from rice, I think naan breads are a delicious accompaniment to a good curry.
Poppadoms are great too, especially if you have some chutneys to go with them. My family particularly enjoy mango or aubergine chutneys as well as pickled garlic.
Can I make this recipe without lamb? What if I don't have all the spices?
While this recipe does taste fantastic with all the spices added (as with most curries they all come together to make something greater than the sum of their parts) you should be able to get away with missing the odd ingredient without too much of a hit to the flavour.
Aside from the meat you really will want to use the onions, ginger, garlic and ground almonds when it comes to the taste, and the double cream is what turns the korma into something beautifully smooth with a wonderfully light colour.
Can I add extra spice to this recipe? What about extra veg?
A korma is usually fairly mild when compared with many other curries you're likely familiar with - they're not meant to knock your head off with spice or heat. So while you can add more spice the delicate balance of flavours is generally best kept as is.
If you're looking to use up some vegetables you have going spare then putting them in the curry towards the end of cooking, with around 45 minutes left, wouldn't be a bad idea. It may not be the most traditional thing but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be very tasty!
How should I store this recipe?
As long as you've cooled it down to room temperature and popped it in the fridge within a couple of hours of making, it should last in the fridge for 2 days. Never store it at room temperature, or anything over 5C/40F.
Can you freeze lamb korma?
Yes, as long as you've cooled it down and put it in the freezer within 2 hours of making it, it will freeze well for up to to 3 months.
Thaw it out in the fridge overnight night then warm through in a saucepan. If you find it a little thick you can add a tablespoon or two of water.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Korma generally refrigerates and freezes well, so you could make this well in advance and heat up when necessary.
You could prepare the meat, veg and spice mix a day ahead. Store in the fridge ready to be slow cooked when needed.
What is the best way to reheat this recipe?
Simply dishing out what you need and reheating it in a saucepan over a low heat works well. Add couple of teaspoons of water to start things off if coming out of the freezer, and put a lid on the pan if you have one. Don't forget to stir every so often to make sure nothing sticks to the pan.
Can I make this recipe in a different quantity?
One of the things I love about a korma is how easy it is to scale up or down whether you're having a romantic meal for two or feeding a family of ten - the only thing that's really limiting you is the size of your cooking pot! To make your life easier simply navigate to my recipe card where you can change the servings you want to make, which will magically update the ingredients quantities. Easy!
Can I make this recipe in a different container? Would a tin, tray or glass cookware work? Can I leave it uncovered?
I would recommend using a lidded casserole dish if at all possible as it has some fairly unique properties when it comes to absorbing and distributing heat and keeping the moisture in.
I've never tried it, but it should also be possible to fry the meat and onion and bring everything else up to a simmer in a very large frying pan, then transfer it to an oven safe dish of your choosing. A top is highly recommended even if you have to make a makeshift one out of tin foil.
I would recommend checking every so often that nothing is sticking to the sides during cooking, especially if using a thin walled metal container.
Print this recipe
If you'd like to give this wonderful slow-cooked lamb korma a go for yourself, here's that recipe again in an easily printable format.
Slow cooked lamb korma
Ingredients
- 700 g (1½ lb) lamb shoulder diced
- 1 inch fresh ginger grated
- 3 cloves fresh garlic grated
- 2 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp mild chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 5 cardamom pods crushed, large pieces of skin removed
- 1/2 tsp (½ tsp) ground coriander
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 brown onion peeled and cut into eighths
- 2 fresh tomatoes cut into eights
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 500 ml (2 cups) vegetable stock gluten free if required
- 30 g (2 tbsp) salted butter
- 300 ml (2 + ¼ cups) double cream
- 1 tbsp muscovado sugar
- 60 g (½ cup +2 tbsp) ground almonds
- 1 handful fresh coriander
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 140C/245F/120C fan.
- Put the turmeric, garam masala, chilli powder, ground cardamom, ground coriander, ginger, garlic and 1 tbsp olive oil in a large bowl and mix into a paste.
- Add the lamb chunks and mix to coat evenly.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large, casserole dish (make sure it has a lid as you’ll need that later).
- When the oil sizzles, add the meat with the onions and fry until the spice aromas are released and the onions start to soften.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, almonds, butter, sugar add the vegetable stock. Mix well.
- Bring up to a simmer, then put the lid on the dish and put the whole thing in the oven for 3.5 hours. If your meat has released a lot of oil, you may wish to skim some off the top at this stage.
- Remove from the oven, add the cream and stir through.
- Return to the oven, this time without the lid, and bake for a final 30-45 minutes until it reaches your desired thickness.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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owen says
Really enjoyed this recipe, very nice indeed. What would you think about swapping out the ground almonds for desiccated coconut? do you think that would work? or 50/50 almonds and coconut?
Many thanks for the lovely receipe
Emily Leary says
Hi. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Adding coconut could work. I would probably go for a combo but it's not something I've tested, I'm afraid!
Kim Bambrough says
I followed this recipe exactly. It is the BEST EVER lamb korma recipe I have tried, and I have tried quite a few!.I bought a large supermarket pack of cheap mixed stewing lamb and took off the meat (which only took 5 mins). The sauce was delicious and the meat literally melted in your mouth. I made homemade peshwari naan breads and served with spiced pilau rice. What a meal it was!! A definite 'make again.
Irfaan says
Hi, just trying out the recipe now and was wondering when to add the sugar...
Emily Leary says
Hi. Apols, you can add it whenever, really, but with the cream is a good time.
Kate says
This is one of the best Lamb Korma's I've eaten outside of an indian restaurant! Just delicious. Plus super easy as I just threw everything into the slow cooker and left it cooking for 8 hours!
Emily Leary says
Yay, I'm so pleased you enjoyed it :D
Jane Taylor says
This looks delicious. Do you reckon I could put it all in my slow cooker in the morning on low rather than a few long sessions in the oven? I am a real slow cooker fan as I like to throw the ingredients in, leave it and come back at the end of the day and its ready ;)
Emily Leary says
Thank you :) Yes, I think so. I'd definitely brown the meat with the spices etc first and probably cut down the stock volume by half, then add the cream and almonds at the end. I haven't tested it though! I think Stressy Mummy did it in the slow cooker the other day though. Maybe tweet her? x
Corina says
I just love curries and I can never resist a good homemade one! This looks so so tasty
Sharon says
This looks and sounds so good! I've been trying to find a good lamb recipe. Here it is. Thanks Emily for sharing!
Emily Leary says
Thank you!
Jo says
This looks delicious, just realised I'm very hungry. I never usually cook with lamb that often but will have to give it a go more.