Shahi Korma (“Royal Lamb” with a Creamy Almond Sauce)
When I eat out, I tend to avoid ordering chicken. There’s lots of spectacular chicken dishes out there, but to me, its the least exciting of meats. But when I go to Indian restaurants, its usually another story. Often, I’ll encounter lamb (or mutton)-based curries, but what this has usually amounted to for me is tough meat, no distinct lamb/mutton flavor, and the dish is swimming in a pool of grease (on that note, I wish there were better Indian restaurants around here!). I thought I’d try my hand at it this at home to see how I would fare.
If you’re like me, the name of this dish seems a bit confusing when combined with the photo. Creamy almond sauce evokes images of a delicate, light-tannish colored, velvetty sauce. Well, it started out that way, but the end result is a lot thicker, almost to the point of adding a tacky crust to the meat (which I was smitten with). It is also so much more complex in flavor than you’d expect–bold and spiced in a style typical of Indian cuisine, but still bringing deep, nutty tastes that are well suited to lamb. Oh, and on the note of lamb, much to my delight, when I ate this, it was more than clear flavor-wise that it was lamb (hallelujah!)–tender, slightly gamey, and nice and juicy. The sauce was forward, but not to the extent that it took away from the lamb–they were very much equals. The only thing I would change next time was the heat level (there wasn’t nearly enough), but I like spice, so I can easily go over board on that one.
Also, while I love lamb, my wife has never cared for it. This dish has the distinction of green lighting future use of lamb–woo hoo! And worth noting, I derived this recipe from a cookbook I received for Christmas, Madhur Jaffrey Indian Cooking. If you’re looking for a book with easily approachable Indian cooking to get you started in what can be an unfamiliar cuisine, this book is well worth a look.
- ~2.5-3 lbs lamb shoulder
- salt
- pepper
- vegetable oil
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 inch knob of ginger
- 5 Tbsp blanched almonds
- water
- 10 cardamom pods
- 6 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 shallots
- 2 jalapeños
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp anise seeds
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1.25 cups heavy cream
Begin by cutting the lamb into 1/2-1 inch cubes. If you have bones, hang on to them–they add flavor! Season with salt and pepper and brown the meat and bones (in batches so as not to overcrowd your pan) in vegetable oil for about 3 minutes per side. Set this aside.
In the oil that remains in the pan, add the cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves, frying for a minute or two. Then add the finely minced shallots, frying until slightly browned.
While you wait, purée the peeled garlic, ginger, almonds, and 6 tablespoons of water until a paste is formed. When the shallots are done, also fry the paste and add the remaining spices. Stir regularly–you want to brown the paste a little, but if you’re not careful, it will stick and burn. Try to fry for about 3 minutes.
Deglaze with the cream and 1/2 cup of water, scraping every last brown bit off the bottom of the pan. Heat this back up to a boil and return the meat to the pan. Cover and simmer on low-medium heat for an hour further, stirring occasionally. Remove the bones when time is up, fishing out the spices you can readily find. The previously thin sauce will thicken up to a surprising degree. You’ll also (probably) find a good bit of fat has been let off by the lamb during cooking–do your best to spoon this off the top and discard it.
With the lamb done, its time to serve. I had a side of parathas and basmati rice steamed with cardamom, mustard seeds, Bay leaves, and peas. Enjoy!
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