Lamb curry step-by-step recipe with video and photos.
About this recipe
This authentic home-style lamb curry is so easy to make and is absolutely delicious. Moist and fork-tender lamb in a luscious curry sauce made with basic Indian spices is perfect for cold winter nights. It pairs well with rice, roti, or naan.
This Instant Pot lamb curry is suitable if you are following the Whole30, paleo, or keto diet. Making it in the Instant Pot is so convenient and it needs minimal monitoring. It also saves a lot of time when compared to making it on the stovetop. Let the Instant Pot do all the hard work as this recipe needs just 10 minutes of hands-on time.
Serve it with rice and a side of kachumber salad for the perfect curry night. It pairs very well with Basmati rice, Sona Masoori rice, and red rice.
Read on for ingredients, instructions, and useful tips to make lamb curry in Insta Pot. Also, check out this recipe to make home-style chicken curry.
Ingredients
Lamb: Use bone-in shoulder or leg for the best-tasting dish.
Aromatics: We use onion, ginger, and garlic.
Tomatoes: Use ripe and juicy tomatoes.
Spices: The whole spices used in this recipe are bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper. The powdered spices used are ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, chili powder (or cayenne), and garam masala.
Ghee: I use ghee in this curry; however, it can be replaced with any cooking oil of your choice.
Step-by-step instructions
Set the Instant Pot in saute mode and add ghee. Once it heats, add bay leaf, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves (step 1).
Next, add onions and saute for 5 minutes, until they begin to brown. Add the ginger and garlic (steps 2, 3). Saute for one more minute (step 4).
Add tomatoes and powdered spices - chili powder or cayenne, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric powder, and salt. Mix well and saute for 2 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to soften (steps 5, 6).
Add the lamb and mix well. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring in between (steps 7, 8).
Add 1½ cups of water and deglaze the pot. Mix well and secure the IP lid (step 9). Set the Instant Pot to 'Meat' mode and pressure cook for 20 minutes (step 10).
Do a natural release of the pressure for 10 minutes, then do a quick release (step 11). Add garam masala and cilantro (step 12).
Mix well and serve hot with rice or roti.
Useful tips
Use bone-in lamb meat for the best-tasting dish. The pieces should be approximately 1.5-inch cubes.
An authentic Indian curry does not use stock or broth for cooking. However, you may replace the water in this recipe with stock.
I use 1½ cups of water in this recipe, which gives me the perfect consistency. For a dry curry, use one cup of water and for a runny curry sauce, use two cups of water. Dry curry can be paired with roti/naan and a runny curry will taste great with rice.
You can skip the whole spices if they are not available.
More lamb/goat recipes:
1. Easy goat curry.
2. Lamb and spinach curry.
3. Lamb rogan josh.
4. Keema matar.
5. Lamb vindaloo.
FAQs
This curry stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to three days. It can also be frozen for up to three months. Cool the curry completely before storing it and store it as soon as it is cooled. Use an air-tight container if you are storing it in the refrigerator and a freezer-safe container if you are freezing it. Also, it is important to add a small amount of water (not more than ½ cup) and boil it well when you reheat it.
If you use a stovetop pressure cooker, follow this recipe and pressure cook for 4 whistles. If you are making it in a pan or kadhai, follow this recipe until you add the lamb. Add 3 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes.
Bonus
This Instant Pot lamb curry is:
- very easy to make,
- basic home-style recipe,
- pairs well with rice or roti.
Recipe card
Lamb Curry in Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 lb lamb bone-in 1.5-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon ginger paste)
- 2-3 cloves garlic finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon garlic paste)
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- 2 tablespoon cilantro
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust as per taste)
- 1½ cup water (see notes)
Spices:
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 small sticks cinnamon
- 2 cardamom
- 4 cloves
- ½ teaspoon whole pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder or cayenne (adjust as per taste)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
- Wash and clean the lamb pieces
- Set the Instant Pot in saute mode and add ghee.
- Once it heats, add bay leaf, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.
- Next, add onions and saute for 3-4 minutes, until they begin to brown.
- Add the ginger and garlic. Saute for one more minute.
- Add tomatoes and powdered spices - chili powder or cayenne, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric powder, and salt.
- Mix well and saute for 2 minutes, until the tomatoes and spices are cooked.
- Add the lamb and mix well. Saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring in between.
- Mix well and secure the IP lid.
- Add 1½ cups of water and deglaze the pot.
- Set the Instant Pot to 'Meat' mode and pressure cook for 20 minutes.
- Do a natural release of the pressure for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Add garam masala and cilantro. Mix well.
- Home-style lamb curry is ready to be served.
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