Karahi Gosht is a decadent and rich curry made with either lamb or mutton on the bone, slow-cooked in a thick gravy. Both Mutton Karahi and Lamb Karahi can be made following this authentic restaurant-style recipe.
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Karahi Gosht is a traditional recipe, popular in India and Pakistan, and is made by slow-cooking bone-in lamb or mutton in a gravy made with onions, tomatoes, and spices. It is similar to my Old Delhi-style Lamb Korma, but with a few differences. I have used lamb in this recipe, but you can use mutton as well and can follow the same recipe to make Mutton Karahi.
The unique thing about this dish is that there is no added cream or cashew paste. The complex, rich and decadent flavors are developed with a combination of special ingredients and the process of slow-cooking. Just like my other lamb recipes - Mughlai Lamb Curry and Lamb Bhuna, This curry tastes amazing after a day or two - the flavors mature and get better with time!
Making an authentic and delicious Karahi Gosht is all about layering flavor - from browning the onions to using mustard oil to slow-cooking the dish. There is very little water added to this recipe because authentic Karahi is made using the moisture released from the meat and the onions and tomatoes. Slow-cooking the Karahi Lamb will make the meat succulent and tender and completely transforms it.
I will show you how you can build up layers of flavor that will make your Lamb Karahi go from good to extraordinary!
What is a Karahi
Karahi refers to both the wok used to cook the dish and the dish itself – ‘Karahi’ or ‘Kadai’ is a heavy iron wok that is used in Indian and Pakistani cooking, to cook dishes on high – medium heat with little to no water. The karahi is the Indian equivalent to a Dutch oven, is ideal for slow-cooked meals, and can be used to make Kadai Chicken or vegetarian dishes such as Vegetable Korma.
Karahi – the dish is characterized by tomatoes, onions, and spices – ranging from green chilies to dried red chilies. The gravy is always reduced until it becomes thick and rich. It is always accompanied by a classic side – Naan or Roti or Basmati Rice or Pulao.
Ingredients
To make authentic Karahi Gosht, you will need:
Lamb (or mutton) on the bone – I used lamb shoulder and asked my butcher to cut it into large pieces. I highly recommend using bone-in lamb or mutton, as the taste of the Karahi really improves with bone-in meat. However, if you prefer using boneless meat, that’s fine too!
Ginger Garlic – Use a generous amount of fresh ginger and garlic. This will help marinate the meat and make it tender. Using fresh ginger garlic paste is so much better than store-bought bottled paste.
Mustard Oil – Mustard oil is the secret ingredient that makes a huge difference to the flavor of the Karahi Gosht! I have made this recipe using both vegetable oil and ghee and I can tell you that mustard oil is definitely way better than either! The flavors of mustard oil develop and improve with slow cooking, and I highly recommend you use mustard oil to make Lamb or mutton Karahi.
Yogurt – Use full-fat or Greek yogurt to marinate the meat.
Tomato Paste – Traditional Mutton Karahi uses fresh tomatoes but I like to use concentrated tomato paste which adds a whole new level of flavor and color as well. I recommend using tomato paste over fresh tomatoes.
Spices for the Karahi Masala
- Garam Masala – Fresh homemade Garam Masala is key to this recipe. I use a blend of star anise, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and mace. Add equal amounts of these whole spices in a frying pan, and dry roast on medium heat until they start to get aromatic (3-4 minutes). Then grind them in a spice grinder or blender. I store Garam Masala in an air-tight jar and use it as per the recipe instructions.
- Kashmiri Red Chili Powder – I highly recommend using Kashmiri Red Chili powder for adding color to the gosht karahi, instead of using any other red chili powder. This chili powder keeps spices levels low while developing a deep and red color.
- Other Spice Powders - Cumin powder, Coriander powder, Fennel powder
Step by Step Instructions
Start by marinating the lamb or mutton pieces.
Prepare your lamb or mutton pieces by rinsing with water, and patting dry with kitchen paper. In this recipe, I have used lamb shoulder, but you can use mutton as well.
In a large mixing bowl, add the lamb pieces, followed by freshly crushed ginger and garlic. Add yogurt, enough sea salt to season the meat and turmeric. Mix well and cover and keep aside for at least 1 hour or even overnight.
While the meat is marinating, heat a heavy-bottomed Dutch Oven or a heavy pot on the stovetop. Add mustard oil and let the oil heat up. Add sliced onions, and saute in mustard oil for 5- 7minutes until the onions and browned. The browning of the onions will add levels of flavor - don't skip this step!
Once the onions are browned, add the marinated meat. Mix with the onions.
Add all the spice powders - garam masala, cumin, coriander, fennel, Kashmiri red chili powder. Mix again.
Then add the concentrated tomato paste. This will add both color and flavor. Mix well.
Add 1/2 a cup of water and mix the meat well. Cover the pot with a lid and let it cook on medium-low heat for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, open the lid check to see if there is any residue sticking to the base of the pot.
Use the spatula to remove any residue at the base. This residue build-up happens as we are using very little water and the gravy is very thick. it is IMPORTANT that you remove the residue at the base with your spatula before you let it cook again.
If you like your gravy to be thicker, add another 1/2 cup of water, then cover the pot with the lid again. Continue to cook covered, on low-medium heat for 45- 50 minutes, until the lamb is cooked and tender.
To check for doneness, use a fork - it should easily pierce the meat and the gravy should be thick as you can see below. And that's it! Your lamb karahi or mutton karahi is ready to be served.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gosht is originally a Persian word for 'meat' and is now popularly used in South Asia to refer to meat. In India and Pakistan, Gosht refers to mutton or goat meat, although, in several parts of the world where mutton (goat meat) is not commonly available, Gosht is used to refer to lamb meat, which is more commonly available. Karahi Gosht is a popular restaurant-style recipe that can be made with either mutton or lamb.
The word curry is a generic term to describe all South Asian gravy-based dishes. However, Karahi is a dish that is made with very little to no water and is cooked in a thick gravy, unlike traditional curries. The use of spices and aromatics such as ginger garlic and garam masala is common in curries and Karahi dishes.
Serving and Pairing Suggestions
Karahi Gosht is ideal for a special occasion - it can be served as part of a party menu. Here are some of the best dishes that pair well with lamb or mutton Karahi:
Rice or Indian Bread:
Indian Naan
Tandoori Roti
Basmati Rice
Pulao
Chicken Dum Biryani
Sides
Raita
Green Chutney
Dessert
Kheer
Gajar Halwa
Karahi Gosht (Mutton or Lamb Karahi)
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Casserole
Ingredients
For the Marination
- 1 Kilogram Lamb or Mutton Use bone-in pieces (I have used lamb shoulder)
- ¾ cup Yogurt full fat or Greek yogurt
- 1.5 teaspoon Salt Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder (haldi)
- 1 inch Ginger organic ginger root
- 4-5 cloves Garlic peeled
Other Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Mustard Oil
- 3 Red Onions Thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 2 teaspoon Garam Masala See notes
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- 1.5 teaspoon Fennel Powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- ½ cup Water
Instructions
- Prepare your lamb or mutton pieces by rinsing with water, and patting dry with kitchen paper
- In a large mixing bowl, add the lamb pieces, followed by freshly crushed ginger and garlic. Add yogurt, enough sea salt to season the meat and turmeric. Mix well and cover and keep aside for at least 1 hour or even overnight.
- While the meat is marinating, heat a heavy-bottomed Dutch Oven or a heavy pot on the stovetop.
- Add mustard oil and let the oil heat up.
- Once the oil is hot, add sliced onions, and saute in mustard oil for 5-7 minutes until the onions and browned.
- Once the onions are browned, add the marinated meat. Mix with the onions.
- Add all the spice powders - garam masala, cumin, coriander, fennel, Kashmiri red chili powder. Mix again.
- Add the concentrated tomato paste. Mix well.
- Add 1/2 a cup of water and mix the meat well.
- Cover the pot with a lid and let it cook on medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes of slow-cooking, open the lid check to see if there is any residue sticking to the base of the pot.
- Use the spatula to remove any residue at the base. It is IMPORTANT that you remove the residue at the base with your spatula before you let it cook again.
- If you like your gravy to be thicker, add another 1/2 cup of water, then cover the pot with the lid again. Continue to cook covered, on low-medium heat for 45- 50 minutes, until the lamb is cooked and tender.
- To check for doneness, use a fork - it should easily pierce the meat and the gravy should be thick.
- Your lamb karahi or mutton karahi is ready to be served with tandoori roti or naan or basmati rice.