Pakistani wedding favourite · Slow cooked

Mutton Korma Recipe (Slow-Cooked Pakistani Style)

Tender mutton. Brown onion gravy. Oil on top.

Farwa ZeeshanRecipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchen

Mutton korma is the centrepiece of Pakistani wedding menus: soft mutton in a deep red, aromatic gravy. It goes wrong when mutton stays chewy or the yogurt splits. This recipe sears the mutton with whole spices, cooks it slowly until tender, and only then finishes with birista and yogurt.

Prep20m
Cook1h 30m
Servings6
kcal / serving520
LevelMedium
Jump to the method

The 3 laws of mutton korma

Why this recipe works

Tender first

Rushing

Cook mutton until soft before the final bhunai.

Birista

Raw onion

Fried onion paste gives colour.

Low for yogurt

High heat

Yogurt stays smooth on low heat.

Shopping and prep list

Ingredients

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

Mutton

Spices

Finish

The NineFoods mutton gauge

Is the mutton tender?

After 60 minutes, press a piece with a spoon. Tap what you see.

Tap a stage to see what to do.

Method · 4 stages

Step by step

1

Sear with whole spices

Medium-high · 10 min
  1. Crackle whole spices in ghee.
  2. Add mutton and ginger garlic paste, fry until browned.
Look for: mutton browned, no pink.
10:00
2

Slow cook

Low, covered · 60 min
  1. Add salt and hot water, cover and cook.
  2. Check with the gauge above.
Look for: mutton soft, little water left.
60:00
3

Korma base

Low, then medium · 15 min
  1. Blend fried onions with yogurt.
  2. On low heat, add the paste and spices, then bhuno on medium until oil separates.
Look for: deep red gravy with oil.
15:00
4

Dum

Lowest · 5 min
  1. Add garam masala and kewra.
  2. Cover and rest.
Look for: oil floating on top.
05:00

Chef's troubleshooter

What went wrong? Pick the symptom

Why

Not cooked long enough.

Fix next time

Keep cooking with hot water, or pressure cook 20 minutes.

Why

Yogurt on high heat.

Fix next time

Lower the heat and whisk yogurt smooth before adding.

Why

Whole spices skipped.

Fix next time

Use black cardamom and cloves, and sear well.

Why

Onions too light.

Fix next time

Fry onions to deep golden.

Swap smart

Ingredient roles and substitutes

IngredientJob in the dishSwap with
MuttonMain proteinBeef, cook 30 minutes longer
Pressure cookerSaves time20 to 25 minutes under pressure
KewraAromaRose water
GheeRichnessOil

After the meal

Serve, store, reheat

Serve with

Naan, sheermal or zeera rice.

Store

Fridge 4 days. Freezer 3 months.

Reheat

Cover and warm on low until the oil separates again.

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 6 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 mutton 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 Pakistani recipes10 Essential Pakistani Spices and How to Use ThemHow to Make Garam Masala at HomeHow to Make Ginger Garlic Paste

Quick answers

Mutton Korma FAQ

How long does mutton korma take?

About 1 hour 50 minutes on the stove, or 50 minutes with a pressure cooker.

Which cut is best?

Mixed pieces with bone, such as shoulder and ribs.

Why is my mutton chewy?

It needs more time. Cook until a spoon cuts it easily.

Can I freeze mutton korma?

Yes, for up to 2 months.