A rich, aromatic curry featuring tender chunks of mutton simmered in a delicious yoghurt-based paste, mutton korma is an exquisite recipe to prepare for a special occasion. What builds flavour into the mutton korma are a mix of assorted spices whose aromas are laced with the sweet, grassy fragrance of kewra water. Prepare a mouthwatering mutton korma the next time you host a large family dinner at home.
Patience, balance and flavour depth: mutton korma epitomises these three culinary essentials. A recipe which requires much time to prepare and which is infused with a lot of complexity, preparing restaurant-style mutton korma at home is no amateur feat.
Interestingly, what makes the mutton korma stand out is not the ingredients – that might well be some Indian culinary staples found in every kitchen. Rather, it is the way these ingredients are treated in the recipe that takes the korma from being an average curry to being sheer mutton gravy royalty.
Slow-cooked, indulgent and utterly rich, making a good, silky mutton korma is more than concocting a simple creamy yoghurt paste. It is in fact about observing the right culinary technique. The secret to perfecting the mutton korma actually lies in mastering this slow-cooking method. Next time you are hosting a gathering at home, try your hands at making a delicious, luxurious mutton korma curry and serve it with garlic naan and steamed r
Read More1 Make the korma in a non-stick kadai or a cast-iron kadai so the mutton cooks well and the gravy receives uniform heat without sticking to the bottom.
2 It is also possible to cook the dish in a hard anodised pressure cooker. Simply bring the gravy together in the kadai and put everything in the cooker at the end so the mutton cooks well enough to fall off the bone.
3 An electric cooker is also an excellent option for preparing the korma. Once the onions and other pastes are sautéed in a fry pan, put the gravy and mutton into the electric cooker until the korma cooks perfectly.
4 Use the chutney jar of a premium mixer grinder to make the cashew, almond and onion pastes so they acquire a very fine and smooth texture.
Start by marinating the mutton. Combine yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, Kashmiri red chilli powder and salt to prepare the marinade.
Coat the mutton properly in the marinade. Cover and allow it to rest for at least an hour.
Now, prepare the gravy. Start by adding ghee to a heavy-bottomed kadai. Add sliced onions and let them reach a perfect golden brown. Keep the onions cooking on medium heat.
Remove half of the onions and grind them into a fine paste. Set aside.
To build the flavour base of the gravy, add whole spices including bay leaves, green and black cardamoms, cloves and a cinnamon stick. Sautée till the spices release their aromas. Next, add ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell dissipates.
Add the marinated mutton and let it cook for 8-10 minutes until the meat is coated well in the masala the oil starts to separate.
Lower the heat on the kadai and make the korma gravy by adding onion paste, cashew and almond paste and coriander, cumin and fennel powders. Let the gravy simmer gently and stir often until it releases fat.
Add the stock and cook on low heat for another 65-70 minutes until the mutton becomes tender and the gravy is fully cooked.
At the end, stir in cream, kewra water and garam masala. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander and fried onions and rest the korma for 10 minutes before serving.
One of the reasons for this could be that the mutton is overcooked. Keep a close eye on the gravy and cook the mutton only until it softens enough to fall off the bone.
Absolutely. Warm water can also bloom the flavours of the recipe. However, mutton stock can make the korma taste richer because of its inherent flavour.
This could be because the masala in the korma hasn’t caramelised properly. Simmer the gravy until all ingredients are perfectly cooked.
Mutton carries richer flavours when on-the-bone, that seep into the actual gravy. So, it is always preferable to use bone-in mutton.
Yes. Rose water can be used to introduce a light fragrance into the korma. However, the true restaurant-style touch will come with the kewra water sprinkle.
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