This lamb karahi recipe is from my book ‘The Curry Guy Bible’
The first time I tried this lamb karahi recipe, I was blown away by how something so simple could taste so amazing.
In my book ‘The Curry Guy Bible’, I gave this curry it’s traditional name charsi karahi and it can be found on page 250.
I think one of the reasons it tastes so good is the lamb fat used. You are going to love lamb karahi. I promise!
Cooked in a large karahi and then served in individual portions. Try this!
This lamb karahi isn’t for most dieters.
Unless you happen to be on the keto diet or similar, you might want to try another of my many recipes on this blog.
That or forget the diet for a day and enjoy this authentic lamb karahi the way it should be.
If you are really worried about the amount of fat used, you could skim it off but there is a reason why so much is added. It’s delicious just as it is.
You will find this recipe really easy to make!
One of the reasons people find Indian cuisine so difficult is because of all the ingredients used.
This isn’t the case with this northern India and Pakistani classic! In fact, there aren’t any spices used at all.
Just follow the recipe below and see why I love this lamb karahi so much.
Preparing ahead…
There really isn’t much to do!
You could prepare everything a couple of days ahead of cooking though if that is more convenient.
Then just cook it and serve. You could also prepare the curry a couple of days in advance of serving and then heat it up.
The flavours will develop and it will be even better when served.
Step by step photos.
Heat the oil in a hot karahi or wok. When hot, add the lamb meat and fat.
Brown for a couple of minutes.
Once browned, add about 250ml (1 cup) of the garlic water and bring to a simmer. Continue topping up with more water from time to time to tenderise the meat.
Add the tomatoes and let them cook into the sauce. Once soft, smash them and remove any loose skins.
Add the majority of the green chillies. I usually hold some back and add them right before serving too.
As the curry cooks. Continue add a little garlic water at a time to assist them meat in cooking.
You will know the curry is ready when the oil rises to the top. You can skim a lot of this off if you like. The meat should be really tender before serving.
If you like the look of this lamb karahi recipe, you might like to try some of these too…
Kashmiri lamb meatballs
Railway lamb curry
7 Ingredient Lamb Curry
Karalan lamb mappas
Curry house style lamb vindaloo
Curry house style lamb rogan josh
Dig in!
Lamb karahi
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp garlic paste
- 2 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
- 900g (2lb) small chunks of lamb or mutton on the bone
- 250g (9oz) lamb fat, cut into 2.5cm (1in) chunks
- 5 medium tomatoes, quartered
- 10 green bullet chillies or similar, cut lengthways
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a jug, whisk the garlic paste into 1 litre (41⁄2 cups) of water and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large karahi or wok over a medium–high heat. Add the lamb meat and fat chunks and brown for about 5 minutes. Pour in about 250ml (1 cup) of the garlic water. Bring to a rolling simmer, stirring from time to time.
- As the water reduces down, pour in a little more and continue doing this, stirring regularly for about 30 minutes. Be sure to keep about 400ml (scant 13⁄4 cups) of the garlic water back for later use. As the water reduces, it will cook the lamb, making it mouthwateringly tender.
- After about 30 minutes, place the tomatoes on top and cover the pan. Add more water at this point if the curry is looking dry. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then smash the tomatoes into the meat using a wooden spoon or spatula.
- If needed, add a little more of the garlic water and also the green chillies.Continue simmering the meat until all the water has been used. Taste a piece: if it is fall-apart tender, your job is almost done; if not, add a little water and continue simmering until the meat is tender to your liking.
- As the meat simmers, the oil will rise to the top – this is a good clue that the curry is ready. You can skim the fat off at this point or enjoy the curry with all the fat in. The curry should be quite moist, but there shouldn’t be a lot of sauce.
- To serve, season with salt and add the dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi) by rubbing it between your fingers into the sauce.