* This is a sponsored post for Try Lamb *
A creamy korma is a deliciously comforting curry. However, you don't have to stick to a chicken one - why not try this Lamb Korma instead? All the flavours you know and love from a korma, but with delicious chunks of lamb. Melt in your mouth lamb and chunks of baby aubergine all coated in a deliciously rich and creamy sauce.
We are big fans of homemade curry, because you have total control over the flavour balance and make it as spicy or as mild as you like. Lamb is always a favourite meat for us to use in curry, as it takes on the flavour of the spices so well and it just falls apart when cooked.
As part of Nutrition Month, Try Lamb have challenged us to come up with a keto recipe that uses lamb. Whilst keto recipes usually feature beef and chicken, we want to highlight how great lamb is for those that follow a keto plan.
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What is a korma?
A korma is a fragrant Indian dish containing meat, usually lamb or chicken, that is gently cooked with spices and dairy. Whilst some korma recipes contain yogurt, others have cream or a combination of the two. You can make a vegan version with coconut milk instead of dairy.
You will find that a lot of korma recipes contain nuts – usually almonds. These are often in the homemade paste and used to thicken the sauce. You can sprinkle the curry with some flaked almonds too.
Kormas are very popular in the UK as they are mild and seen as a gateway curry. The spice levels are pretty mellow, but it has plenty of flavour.
Why you will love it
- A really tasty way to use lamb
- Low carb
- Cheaper than ordering
- You can make it as spicy or as mild as you like
Ingredients needed
- Diced lamb - we use diced lamb because it just falls apart when it has finished cooking. You could use bone-in lamb shank or shoulder, however that would change the cooking time.
- Red onion - if you wanted a sweeter taste to the curry, then swap the red onion for diced shallots.
- Mushrooms - we love adding mushrooms to a curry, as you can bulk it out and use a little less meat. This helps to keep the lamb korma lower in fat and calories.
- Baby aubergines - another great way to bulk out a curry and aubergines are delicious in a curry. If you can't find baby aubergines, then you can chop up a regular aubergine.
- Coconut milk - we would recommend using full fat coconut milk, as it makes a richer curry sauce. However, you could use reduced fat.
- Korma curry paste - it is worth making your own curry mix, and it's really simple. Just a mix of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin, turmeric, mild chilli powder. You could use a really good quality store bought curry paste if you would prefer.
- Coriander (cilantro) - a must in any curry. It adds lots of flavour without adding a lot of calories.
- Lime - this makes the curry really zesty and fresh and lightens it up a little.
- Greek yogurt - this makes the lamb korma really creamy, without having to use double cream.
- Spinach - we are big fans of any way we can give a meal a green veggie boost, and adding spinach is an easy way to do this.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step by step
One: Over a medium heat add the oil in a large pan and cook the onions until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
Two: Add the mushrooms and aubergine (eggplant) and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Three: Add the diced lamb and cook until browned, about 4-5 minutes.
Four: Add the coconut milk and korma paste. Stir well and bring to the boil.
Five: Reduce to a simmer and add the chopped coriander. Cook for 25-30 minutes until the lamb is tender.
Six: Add the lime juice and stir in the yogurt to get a marbled effect.
Seven: Add the spinach and allow to wilt, about 2 minutes.
What lamb to use
We used diced lamb, as the chunks of it just fall apart after being cooked in this deliciously rich and luxurious sauce. Lamb is such a great source of protein, zinc and Vitamin B12, so it's a great addition to a curry. This curry has just 350 calories a serving too - so much healthier than ordering a curry.
For more information on lamb and some recipe ideas, follow Try Lamb on Facebook.
What vegetables to add
The great thing about a curry is it is very forgiving. By that I mean that you can switch and swap ingredients, to use up whatever you have already in your fridge and cupboards, or what you can find in the shops.
We used mushrooms and baby aubergine, as they add loads of texture to this and some spinach at the end. But you could use peppers and courgettes instead and swap the spinach for kale. If you were struggling for fresh veg to put in this, you could use tinned veg.
Korma curry paste
If you want to save yourself some time, then use a really good quality korma paste from a store. However, if you have some extra time then you can make your own Korma paste. It's really simple and mix of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin, turmeric, mild chilli powder.
If you didn't want to make your own, and didn't want to buy a paste, you could just use curry powder or garam masala instead, but you wouldn't get that same korma flavour.
What to serve with it
If you want to keep the whole recipe keto, then you need to be careful with that you are serving it with. Go for courgetti spirals or cauliflower rice.
However, if you aren't following a keto plan, then all the usual curry sides like rice and naan bread go perfectly with this. Why not try out Easy Homemade Flatbread?
FAQs
Once you have allowed this curry to fully cool down, you can put it in the fridge in an air tight container and it will be good for up to 2 days. You can reheat it on the hob or in the microwave.
This curry also freezes really well. Again, allow it to cool and then put it in a freezable container and it will be good in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once it is defrosted, you can reheat it on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot throughout - if the sauce is a little thick, you can thin it out with some water. Do not reheat the curry more than once.
This recipe cooks really well in a slow cooker and the meat is totally melt in your mouth. Follow steps one to three and then put everything in the slow cooker, along with the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
Yes, this is a really easy curry to make, even if you make your own curry paste (which is definitely worth the minimal effort). This curry is also really forgiving, so you can cook it a little longer, and change the ingredients a little and it will still be delicious. So, play around with it and change it to suit your own tastes. It's a great curry for beginners to make.
Whilst lamb is a fairly fatty meat, it has lots of nutritional benefits. Lamb is a great source of protein, zinc and Vitamin B12, so it's a great addition to a curry. This lamb korma has just 350 calories a serving too - so much healthier than ordering a curry. You can also add lots of veggies to it.
As far as curry goes, a korma is a pretty mild one, but it depends on how much spice you can handle. If you find pepper spicy, you might find this curry spicy too. You can adjust the spice in the homemade curry paste - we used a green chilli and some cayenne pepper, so reduce this to suit your on tastes. If you want a spicier curry, then you can add extra chilli.
This is a fairly mild curry though, and one that kids will really enjoy.
It is difficult to adjust the spice levels once it is already cooked. You could add more yoghurt or cream, but this will change the overall flavour.
If you find that your curry is too thin and watery, then the easiest way to help with this is to cook it a little longer and reduce the amount of liquid in it. Cook it a with the lid off. Adding the yoghurt at the end helps to thicken it, however try not to add too much extra yoghurt, as this can make it too mild and it will lose a lot of the flavour.
If you are really in a rush to serve the curry, then you could make a cornflour slurry to add to it, however we find that it changes the texture and flavour too much.
If you can't find lamb then you could swap it for skinless and boneless chicken thigh if you want to keep it a meaty curry. If you are looking for a vegetarian version then go for lots of chunky veg like mushroom, aubergine, courgette and potatoes.
This recipe should be gluten free if you are making your own curry paste. However, if you are using a store bought paste, then check then it is gluten free.
We would always recommend making the curry from fresh, however you could make the curry paste in advance to save yourself some time.
More lamb recipes
If you’ve tried this lamb korma recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
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Recipe
Lamb Korma
Ingredients
- 350 g (12.5 oz) Diced lamb
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 0.5 Red onion - finely diced
- 100 g (3.5 oz) Mushrooms - chopped
- 100 g (3.5 oz) Baby aubergines (eggplant) - stalk trimmed and body quartered
- 400 ml (1.66 cups) Coconut milk
- 4 tablespoon Korma paste
- 15 g (1 cups) Fresh coriander (cilantro) - finely chopped
- 1 Lime - (juice only)
- 2 tablespoon 0% Greek yogurt
- 60 g (2 cups) Spinach
Instructions
- Over a medium heat add 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a large pan and cook 0.5 Red onion until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add 100 g Mushrooms and 100 g Baby aubergines (eggplant) and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Add 350 g Diced lamb and cook until browned, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add 400 ml Coconut milk and 4 tablespoon Korma paste. Stir well and bring to the boil.
- Reduce to a simmer and add 15 g Fresh coriander (cilantro). Cook for 25-30 minutes until the lamb is tender.
- Add the juice of 1 Lime and stir in 2 tablespoon 0% Greek yogurt to get a marbled effect.
- Add 60 g Spinach and allow to wilt, about 2 minutes.
- Serve with rice.
Recipe tips
- If you need to thicken the curry, then you can just let it cook for a little longer.
- You can add some extra spice with some red chilli flakes
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- This recipe can be made in the slow cooker too.
- You can make your own curry paste, or use store bought.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Farah Abumaizar
My favourite meat curry- I can't believe how easy you made it seem to make! Now I must try it! Thank you
kiim
Love this recipe! It turned out super tasty and was easy too! I will definitely make it again.
Ashley
I love any kind of korma -- and I had some ground lamb I made into meatballs and used the rest of your recipe! Excellent!
Veena Azmanov
Love the option I can make this delicious dish. This dish looks like a festive one. I am drooling.
Nart | Cooking with Nart
My, this looks super delicious. I could do with a bowl of this and rice right now!
Charla
I cannot resist a good ole lamb korma, it's true comfort food without being too heavy.
Irina
This is a thing - this curry meal. Love the flavors, love the taste. Made it tonight: it was a hit:)
Helen of Fuss Free Flavours
Lamb is such a good meat to use in curry, and I love the idea of lamb korma. Such a tasty dish, more flavour than spice. A good thing to freeze in batches and have handy for when you fancy it.
Kait | Slumber & Scones
Curry is such a staple around my house, but we've never tried making one with lamb. I can't wait to give this a try!
Rebecca
I love a good lamb dish! this is delicious
Tara
Oh wow! It has been way too long since I have cooked with lamb. Sounds incredible paired with the eggplant and those spices.
Marie-Charlotte Chatelain
This is by far my favorite order at the Indian restaurant! Our favorite restaurant just closed down for corona and I have been craving this dish like crazy! Time to learn how to make it! Looks awesome
Anita
Korma is one of my favorite Indian dish to get in a restaurant. Didn't know it's this easy to cook it myself at home. Thanks for this awesome recipe.
Justine
Mom made this the other day and it was so good I searched for the recipe, making this weekend!
Caitlyn Erhardt
This looks and sounds incredible! Can't wait to make this for my family.
Jacqueline Meldrum
You have put me right in the mood for a korma. Trying not to go out but I do have all the spicy so I may try to make my own paste.
Anna
Delicious looking curry with so much great flavour! I would lick my bowl clean after this!
Jessica Formicola
My family loves lamb, so I can't wait to make this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing!
Bry
Ooh, I love korma!! Bookmarking this recipe for the weekend. Your photos look SO good!
David
Mmm, looks great! I love curry but tend to make chicken at home. Great idea to try with lamb!