Sunday curry · Slow or fast

Indian Lamb Curry Recipe (Stovetop or Pressure Cooker)

Brown onions. Sear lamb. Cook until tender.

Farwa ZeeshanRecipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchen

Indian lamb curry is lamb simmered in a deep onion, yogurt and spice gravy until tender. It goes wrong when the lamb stays chewy or the gravy tastes raw. The fix is searing the lamb, frying the masala until oil separates, and cooking long enough (or pressure cooking) until a spoon cuts the meat.

Prep20m
Cook1h 20m
Servings5
kcal / serving480
LevelMedium
Jump to the method

The 3 laws of indian lamb curry

Why this recipe works

Sear

Boil raw

Searing builds flavour.

Bhuna

Raw masala

Fry until oil separates.

Tender test

Clock only

Cook until a spoon cuts it.

Shopping and prep list

Ingredients

Servings
Tap items as you gather them · 0 of 0 ready

Lamb curry

The NineFoods lamb gauge

Is the lamb tender?

Press a piece with a spoon.

Tap a stage to see what to do.

Method · 4 stages

Step by step

1

Brown onions

Medium · 12 min
  1. Fry onions in oil until deep golden.
Look for: deep golden onions.
12:00
2

Sear lamb

Medium-high · 10 min
  1. Add ginger garlic and lamb, sear until browned.
Look for: browned lamb.
10:00
3

Bhuna

Medium · 10 min
  1. Add tomatoes, spices and yogurt on low, then fry on medium until oil separates.
Look for: oil separating.
10:00
4

Cook tender

Low, covered · 50 min
  1. Add hot water and cook covered (pressure cooker: 20 minutes).
  2. Use the gauge above.
Look for: tender lamb, thick gravy.
50:00

Chef's troubleshooter

What went wrong? Pick the symptom

Why

Not cooked long enough.

Fix next time

Keep cooking or pressure cook 10 more minutes.

Why

Yogurt on high.

Fix next time

Add yogurt on low.

Why

Spices light.

Fix next time

Use whole spices and brown the lamb well.

Why

Excess water.

Fix next time

Reduce uncovered.

Swap smart

Ingredient roles and substitutes

IngredientJob in the dishSwap with
Lamb shoulderTender with timeGoat or mutton, cook longer
YogurtBodyExtra tomato
Pressure cookerSpeedStovetop 50 minutes
GheeRichnessOil

After the meal

Serve, store, reheat

Serve with

Naan, roti or basmati rice.

Store

Fridge 4 days. Freezer 3 months.

Reheat

Simmer covered with a splash of water until heated through.

How we tested this recipe

Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio

Farwa Zeeshan

Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.

  • Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 5 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
  • Every one of the 4 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
  • The doneness check (is the lamb tender) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
  • Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.

Read our full testing process

Keep cooking

Related recipes and guides

All Indian recipesHow to Make Garam Masala at HomeHow to Make Ginger Garlic PasteWeekly Meal Prep for Pakistani Cooking

Quick answers

Indian Lamb Curry FAQ

Which cut is best for lamb curry?

Shoulder or leg on the bone.

How long does lamb curry take?

About 1 hour 20 minutes on the stove, or 40 minutes with a pressure cooker.

Is lamb curry the same as mutton curry?

Very similar; mutton (goat or older sheep) needs longer.

Can I freeze lamb curry?

Yes, for up to 2 months.