Mutton Korma
slow-braised mutton in a dark, nut-thickened yogurt gravy scented with black cardamom
Allergens in Mutton Korma: milk, tree nuts.
Ingredients
Quantities for 4.
- 750g bone-in shoulder and shank, in large pieces Mutton
- 250g, whisked smooth Yogurt
- 3 large, thinly sliced Onion
- 6 tbsp Ghee
- 12, soaked Cashew
- 1 tbsp, soaked Melon Seeds
- 1 tbsp, soaked Poppy Seeds
- 1.5 tbsp paste Ginger
- 1.5 tbsp paste Garlic
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1.5 tsp Kashmiri Chilli
- 2 Black Cardamomthe smoky backbone of this korma
- 5 green Cardamom
- 5 Cloves
- 2 inch stick Cinnamon
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 1/4 tsp Mace
- a scraping Nutmegoptional
- a pinch in 2 tbsp warm milk Saffronoptional
- 1/2 tsp Kewra Wateroptional
- 500ml, hot Water
- to taste Salt
Cookware
stovetop, blender
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- Marinate the mutton in the whisked yogurt with the ginger and garlic pastes for 2 hours refrigerated, then bring it to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Soak the cashew, melon seeds and poppy seeds together in hot water for 30 minutes so they grind to a paste with no grit.
- Set aside 90 minutes of unhurried stove time. Mutton korma cannot be rushed with high heat.
Method
- Fry the sliced onions in 4 tbsp ghee over medium heat until deep brown, 12–14 minutes. Drain the birista and reserve the ghee.Even browning matters more than speed. Stir every minute after the eighth.
- Grind the soaked seeds and nuts with two-thirds of the birista and 5 tbsp water to a smooth paste.
- Heat the reserved ghee with the remaining 2 tbsp, add the bay leaves, black and green cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and let them crackle 40 seconds.
- Lift the mutton out of the marinade and brown it in batches over high heat, 4 minutes a batch. Return all of it to the pan.
- Lower the flame, pour in the leftover yogurt marinade a ladle at a time and stir without stopping for 8 minutes until the fat rims the pan.Never cover the pan while yogurt is still raw. Trapped steam splits it.
- Add the coriander powder, kashmiri chilli, mace and salt and bhuno for 5 minutes, splashing in a little hot water each time it catches.
- Stir in the nut paste and cook 4 minutes until it darkens a shade and smells toasted.
- Add 500ml hot water, bring to a bare simmer, cover tightly and cook 60–70 minutes until the meat pulls off the bone.A bare simmer, one bubble at a time. A rolling boil toughens the meat and thins the gravy.
- Uncover and reduce 5 minutes if the gravy is looser than a pouring cream.
- Finish with saffron milk, kewra water, grated nutmeg and the reserved birista. Rest covered 10 minutes.
Safe temperatures: Whole cuts of mutton, beef and pork are done at 63°C / 145°F, rested 3 minutes. A long braise passes that well before the meat is tender. Reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F. FoodSafety.gov
Storage
Improves overnight. Keeps 4 days refrigerated or 2 months frozen. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water, never in a hard boil.
Nutrition Low estimate
One serving of Mutton Korma (495 g) is about 507 calories, or 103 calories per 100 g.
High protein: 44 g a serving, 35% of the calories
| Per serving495 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 507 kcal | 103 kcal |
| Protein | 44.2 g | 9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 18.5 g | 4 g |
| of which sugars | 8.0 g | 2 g |
| Fibre | 3.3 g | 1 g |
| Fat | 28.6 g | 6 g |
| of which saturated | 15.1 g | 3 g |
| of which unsaturated | 11.5 g | 2 g |
Ingredients given to taste count as zero, so the real figures run a little higher. Nearest database match used for mutton. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
More like this: Gluten-free Indian recipes · Awadhi/Lucknowi recipes
Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.