Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Mutton Korma
An authentic, slow-cooked royal Awadhi mutton curry featuring tender meat in a rich, highly aromatic, and slightly grainy gravy.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 110 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- hard
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- mutton (bone-in)
- crispy fried onions (birista)
- yogurt
- ghee
- cashew paste
- ginger-garlic
- coriander powder
- kashmiri chili powder
- nutmeg and mace
- kewra water
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pot (Handi) or Pressure Cooker
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Onions
Thinly slice a large amount of onions. Deep fry them in oil until crispy and golden brown (Birista). Drain on paper towels and crush them with your hands.
- 2
Marinate the Meat
Mix the mutton pieces with whisked yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, salt, and half of the crushed fried onions. Let it sit for 1 hour.
- 3
Heat Ghee
In a heavy-bottomed handi (pot), heat a generous amount of pure ghee.
- 4
Temper Whole Spices
Add whole green cardamoms, black cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Let them crackle to perfume the ghee.
- 5
Sear the Mutton
Add the marinated mutton. Cook on high heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously until the yogurt reduces and the meat is seared.
- 6
Add Dry Spices
Add Kashmiri red chili powder (for a deep red color) and a generous amount of coriander powder. Sauté for 3 minutes.
- 7
Slow Cook
Add hot water to cover the meat. Seal the pot with a tight lid and simmer on low heat for 60-70 minutes until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- 8
Add Nut Paste
Stir in a smooth paste made from soaked cashews and almonds. This thickens and richens the gravy.
- 9
Add Remaining Onions
Add the rest of the crushed crispy onions. This gives the Korma its signature 'danedar' (grainy) texture.
- 10
Simmer to Finish
Simmer for another 10 minutes until a thick layer of bright red ghee floats to the top of the curry.
- 11
The Royal Aromatics
Turn off the heat. Sprinkle freshly ground nutmeg, mace (javitri), and a few drops of kewra (screwpine) essence.
- 12
Serve
Let it rest for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy with Sheermal, Khamiri Roti, or plain Naan.
Cooking Tips
- Do not use a blender to grind the fried onions. Crushing them by hand or pounding them roughly is what creates the essential grainy texture of a true Korma.
- Kewra water and mace are not optional if you want the authentic wedding-style Awadhi aroma.
Variations
- White Mutton Korma: Skips the red chili and relies entirely on yogurt, cream, cashews, and white pepper for a pale, rich curry.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A masterpiece of Mughlai and Awadhi cuisine, historically cooked for the Nawabs of Lucknow.
Nutrition Estimate
550 calories · 38g protein · 12g carbs · 38g fat · 3g fiber per serving
