Mutton korma served in a dark pot with curry leaves and green chillies

RecipeMughlaiHigh protein

Mutton korma, slow cooked rich

Name: Mutton Korma, Slow Cooked Rich (Mughlai)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mughlai
Ingredients: 500 g Mutton curry cut, bone-in; 4 tbsp A2 desi cow ghee; 5 pods Green cardamom; 4 Cloves; 1 Cinnamon stick; 2 Bay leaf; 50 g Birista (fried onions); 2 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste; 150 g Thick yogurt, whisked; 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder; 1½ tbsp Coriander powder; Salt (to taste); 350 ml Warm water; 1 tsp Kewra water; 1 tsp Garam masala; Saffron in 2 tbsp warm milk (a generous pinch)

Bone-in mutton braised low in an onion and yogurt gravy with whole spices, then finished with ghee, kewra and saffron. Serve with naan, basmati or sheermal.

Total time

1 h 20 m

20 m hands-on

Serves

generously

Difficulty

Medium

patience, not skill

Protein

31 g

per serving

Raw materials

The Meatigo product this recipe is built on. Everything else is pantry.

Fresh bone-in mutton curry cut pieces on a white plate

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₹699

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Method

Seven steps. Read it through before you start.

01
Sear the mutton
Heat the ghee in a heavy pot until it shimmers. Sear the mutton in two batches until browned on all sides, then lift out and set aside.
02
Bloom the spices
In the same ghee, fry the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf for 30 seconds. Add the birista and ginger-garlic paste and cook for two minutes until the raw smell goes.
03
Add the ground spices
Stir in the chilli and coriander powder with a splash of water. Cook, scraping the base, until the paste darkens and the ghee begins to separate.
04
Bring in the yogurt
Lower the heat. Add the whisked yogurt a spoonful at a time, stirring constantly so it does not split. Return the mutton and coat it well.
05
Braise covered
Pour in the warm water and add salt. Cover and braise on low for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring now and then, until the mutton is tender and pulling from the bone.
06
Reduce the gravy
Uncover and cook on medium until the oil rises to the surface and the gravy clings to the meat. Stir through the kewra water.
07
Finish and rest
Fold in the garam masala, a spoon of fresh ghee and the saffron milk. Rest, covered, for ten minutes, then serve hot.

Questions

Can I use boneless mutton?+

Yes. Shorten the braise to about 35 minutes and add a little more garam masala, since boneless pieces carry less flavour from the bone.

Why did my yogurt split?+

Usually the heat was too high. Whisk the yogurt smooth, keep the flame medium-low and add it a spoonful at a time.

What is birista?+

Deep-fried, caramelised onions. They keep about a week in the fridge, so make a batch and use it across curries.

Can I make it ahead?+

Yes, korma improves overnight. Reheat gently with a splash of water and finish with fresh ghee.

Start with the cut

Fresh mutton curry cut, delivered in 90 minutes.

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