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Mutton Korma
It's a staple of Indian celebrations, featuring tender meat simmered in a fragrant yogurt and poppy seed gravy. You'll build deep, complex flavors by dry-roasting whole spices and grinding them into a fresh paste. The mutton cooks slowly until it practically melts, absorbing every bit of the aromatic sauce. Serve this rich stew alongside warm flatbread or steamed rice to soak up all that spiced goodness.
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Saucepan
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds mutton, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ gm turmeric, powdered
- 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- ½ bay leaf
- 3 cloves
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3 tablespoon poppy seeds, soaked
- ¾ gm beaten curd (yoghurt)
- 1 cup sunflower oil
- ½ teaspoon of red chili powder
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- ¼” cinnamon
- Salt, to taste, as required
- 4 to 5 green cardamoms
- ½” ginger
- ½ teaspoon of coriander seeds
Instructions
- 1Rinse the chopped mutton under cold water and drain well. Place the meat in a large pan with about 1 1/2 cups of water and a small amount of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle bubble. Simmer until the mutton is partially cooked through, then remove from the heat and reserve the cooking water.
- 2While the meat simmers, blend the soaked poppy seeds into a smooth paste. In a separate large pan over medium heat, dry roast the whole spices for a few minutes until fragrant. Toasting the spices first unlocks their essential oils for a deeper flavor. Transfer the toasted spices to a grinder and process them into a fine paste.
- 3Heat the sunflower oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Stir in the freshly ground spice paste and cook briefly, adding a splash of water if it sticks. Transfer the partially cooked mutton pieces into the pan. Stir well to coat the meat completely in the spices, then season with salt.
- 4Pour in the reserved cooking water, beaten yogurt, and poppy seed paste. Stir everything together until smooth. Lower the heat and stir in the red chili powder. Cover the pan and simmer for 45 to 50 minutes until the mutton becomes completely tender. Keep the heat low so the yogurt doesn't curdle.
- 5Remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the meat and gravy to a large serving dish, finishing with fresh lime juice and sliced ginger before serving.
Notes
- Make ahead: Korma tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to meld. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of water if the gravy has thickened too much.
- Prep tip: Soak the poppy seeds in warm water for at least 30 minutes before blending to ensure a perfectly smooth paste.
Recipe Details
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