Mutton Korma Pakistani

Tender pieces of mutton braised in a rich gravy of fried onions, yogurt and ground spices until the sauce turns glossy and clings to each piece. A celebratory dish served at weddings and Eid alongside naan or rice.

Korma descends directly from the Mughal royal kitchens of the sixteenth century, where meat was braised gently in yogurt and aromatics to produce a refined, regal gravy. In Pakistan the dish remains the centerpiece of feasts, its preparation a point of pride passed down through generations of home cooks and wedding chefs.

The mutton falls apart at the touch of a fork, soaked in a velvety, deeply spiced gravy tinged with the sweetness of caramelized onions. Each spoonful is rich and warming, with yogurt lending a subtle tang beneath the spice.

Slow braising in yogurt breaks down tough connective tissue into gelatin, while caramelized onions melt into the sauce to thicken it and lend natural sweetness and body.

Variations

shahi korma with cream and nuts, chicken korma, beef korma, white korma, Lucknowi korma

On the Palate

Where Mutton Korma Pakistani sits in the Pakistani flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 5

How it's made

8 steps · 20 min

1
12 min
Deep-fry sliced onions until golden brown, then crush most of them.
Watch out
Fry the onions to an even deep golden brown — this is the sauce's body and sweetness; pale onions leave it thin, burnt ones turn it bitter.
2
10 min
Brown the mutton pieces in the flavored oil with ginger-garlic paste.
3
8 min
Add whisked yogurt along with chili, coriander and turmeric, stirring constantly.
Watch out
Add the yogurt off a lower heat and keep stirring — dump it into a rolling-hot pan and it splits into curds instead of a smooth gravy.
4
30 min
Pour in a little water, cover, and braise on low heat until the meat is fork-tender.
5
12 min
Uncover and cook off excess liquid until the oil separates from the gravy.
Watch out
Cook the gravy down until beads of oil rise and pool at the edges — that oil-separation is the classic sign the korma's ready.
6
2 min
Sprinkle in garam masala and crushed fried onions.
7
5 min
Simmer a few more minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy.
8
2 min
Garnish with fried onions and serve with naan.