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.
My slow cooked lamb korma recipe is luxuriously thick, slightly sweet, and filled with lamb so perfectly soft it falls off the fork.
This meal has been created for Simply Beef and Lamb‘s Live Peasant campaign, which is all about getting back to simple, cost-effective cooking beef and lamb. We’re talking minimal fuss and maximum taste; one pot cooking, slow cookers and big bowls of delicious grub.
In keeping with the Live Peasant theme, I 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
- 700g (1.54 lbs) lamb, diced (ask your butcher about scrag, middle neck or stewing chunks which might be a combination of cuts)
- 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
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 brown onion, peeled and cut into eighths
- 2 fresh tomatoes, cut into eights
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 500ml (1.06 pt) vegetable stock
- 30g (1.05 oz) salted butter
- 300ml (10.14 oz) double cream
- 1 tbsp muscovado sugar
- 60g (2.11 oz) ground almonds
- handful fresh coriander
- basmati rice to serve
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 140C/245F/120C fan. Make a marinade by mixing the ginger, garlic, garam masala, chilli powder, ground cardamon, ground coriander and olive oil into a paste.
Add to a bowl with the lamb chunks, mixing and rubbing with your hands to coat evenly.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large, casserole dish (make sure it has a lid as you’ll need that later).
When the oil sizzles, fry the meat with the onions until the spices are released and the onions start to soften.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable stock and butter.
Bring up to a simmer, then put the lid on the dish and put the whole thing in the oven with the lid on for 90 minutes.
Remove from the oven add the cream, sugar and turmeric, stir well. Return to the oven, this time without the lid, and bake for another 90 minutes.
Remove from the oven, and stir in ground almonds, then return to the oven without the lids and turn the heat up to 200C/400F/180C fan. Cook for a final 45 minutes.
Serve up to the table with plenty of basmati rices and a good sprinkling of fresh coriander.
Yummy! The lamb just falls apart!
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 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
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 brown onion peeled and cut into eighths
- 2 fresh tomatoes cut into eights
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 500 ml vegetable stock
- 30 g salted butter
- 300 ml double cream
- 1 tbsp muscovado sugar
- 60 g ground almonds
- handful fresh coriander
- basmati rice to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/120C fan. Make a marinade by mixing the ginger, garlic, garam masala, chilli powder, ground cardamon, ground coriander and olive oil into a paste.
- Add to a bowl with the lamb chunks, mixing and rubbing with your hands to coat evenly.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large, casserole dish (make sure it has a lid as you’ll need that later).
- When the oil sizzles, fry the meat with the onions until the spices are released and the onions start to soften.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable stock and butter.
- Bring up to a simmer, then put the lid on the dish and put the whole thing in the oven
- with the lid on for 90 minutes.
- Remove from the oven add the cream, sugar and turmeric, stir well.Return to the oven, this time without the lid, and bake for another 90 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and stir in ground almonds, then return to the oven without the lids and turn the heat up to 200C/400F/180C fan.
- Cook for a final 45 minutes.
- Serve up to the table with plenty of basmati rices and a good sprinkling of fresh coriander.
I hope this has inspired you to try out your own Live Peasant recipes. What ideas have you come up with to try?
For more delicious recipes and great ideas, visit www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk or try my slow cooked lamb and sweet potato casserole.
This is a commissioned post for Simply Beef and Lamb
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.