A deeply spiced, slow-cooked lamb curry with very little sauce — the point of a bhuna is concentration. Chunks of lamb shoulder simmer down with tomatoes, onions, and a full arsenal of whole and ground spices until the gravy thickens and clings to the meat. The result is rich, fragrant, and intensely savoury, with the thickened sauce coating the lamb.
900g
60ml
4piece
1piece
3piece
1tsp
3piece
6piece
4piece
15g
40g
2tsp
2tsp
1tsp
1tsp
1.5tsp
100ml
1tsp| # | Product | Quantity | Notes | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 900g | — | — | |
| 2 | | 60ml | — | — | |
| 3 | | 4piece | — | — | |
| 4 | | 1piece | — | — | |
| 5 | | 3piece | — | — | |
| 6 | | 1tsp | — | — | |
| 7 | | 3piece | — | — | |
| 8 | | 6piece | — | — | |
| 9 | | 4piece | — | — | |
| 10 | | 15g | — | — | |
| 11 | | 40g | — | — | |
| 12 | | 2tsp | — | — | |
| 13 | | 2tsp | — | — | |
| 14 | | 1tsp | — | — | |
| 15 | | 1tsp | — | — | |
| 16 | | 1.5tsp | — | — | |
| 17 | | 100ml | — | — | |
| 18 | | 1tsp | — | — |
Pat the lamb shoulder pieces (about 4 cm) thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.
Lamb shoulder · 900 g
Place the cardamom pods on the chopping board and press down firmly with the flat of a chef's knife to split them open.
Cardamom pods · 4 piece
Cut the tops and bases off the onions and peel away the papery skins.
Yellow onion · 3 pieceHalve and thinly slice the onions into half-moon pieces.
Pour the vegetable oil into a large heavy-based pan.
Vegetable oil · 60 ml
Set the pan over a medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering.
Add the cassia bark to the hot oil.
Cassia bark · 1 pieceAdd the crushed cardamom pods to the hot oil and cassia bark.
Add the cloves to the cardamom pod and cassia bark mixture.
Cloves · 3 pieceAdd the cumin seeds to the clove and cardamom pod mixture.
Cumin seeds · 1 tspFry the whole spices together, stirring constantly, until the cumin seeds begin to pop and turn golden.
Add the sliced onions to the cumin seed and clove mixture in the pan.
Fry the onions and whole spices over a medium heat, stirring regularly, until the onions are deep golden brown and soft.
Crush each garlic clove lightly with the flat of a chef's knife and slip off the skins.
Garlic clove · 6 pieceGrate the peeled garlic cloves on a fine grater directly onto the chopping board.
Scrape the deep golden onions onto the chopping board with the grated garlic.
Roughly chop the tomatoes into chunky pieces on the chopping board.
Ripe tomatoes · 4 pieceScrape the chopped tomatoes into a small bowl and set aside.
Finely chop the coriander leaves on the chopping board and set aside.
Coriander leaves · 15 gTip the chopped coriander into a small bowl and set aside.
Hold the fresh ginger under cold running water in a colander, scrubbing off any dirt.
Fresh ginger · 40 g
Lift the rinsed ginger out of the colander onto the chopping board.
Grate the rinsed ginger on a fine grater onto the chopping board.
Add the garlic clove and onion mixture to the pan with the grated ginger.
Fry the garlic and ginger paste over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until the raw smell has gone and the paste is fragrant.
Add the ground cumin to the fragrant aromatics.
Ground cumin · 2 tspAdd the ground coriander to the spiced aromatics.
Ground coriander · 2 tspAdd the chilli powder to the spiced paste.
Chilli powder · 1 tspAdd the turmeric to the spiced paste.
Turmeric · 1 tspFry the fresh ginger and garlic clove mixture with all the ground spices, stirring constantly, until the oil begins to separate and the paste smells deeply toasted.
Add the patted-dry lamb chunks to the spice-coated onion base and sear, turning frequently, until the meat is browned all over. The pan needs to be at least 30 cm across so the pieces sit in one layer; if yours is smaller, cook them in two batches.
Add the chopped tomatoes to the seared lamb shoulder in the pan.
Add the salt to the lamb and tomato curry.
Salt · 1.5 tspStir everything together thoroughly so the salt and tomatoes are evenly distributed through the curry.
Simmer the lamb with the tomatoes over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down into the sauce.
Pour the water into the pan with the lamb and broken-down tomatoes.
Water · 100 mlStir the lamb braising liquid to combine the water evenly into the sauce.
Place the lid firmly on the pan to cover the lamb braising.
Simmer the covered lamb over a low heat until the meat is completely tender and falling apart, about an hour and often longer; add a splash of hot water if the masala starts to catch.
Add the garam masala to the braised lamb and stir it through.
Garam masala · 1 tspSimmer the spiced braised lamb uncovered, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened and clings tightly to the meat.
| # | Product | Tool | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 900 g | | Pat the lamb shoulder pieces (about 4 cm) thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.⏱ 1 minResultPatted-dry lamb chunksused in step 31 |
| 2 | 4 piece | | Place the cardamom pods on the chopping board and press down firmly with the flat of a chef's knife to split them open.⏱ 1 minResultCrushed cardamom podsused in step 8 |
| 3 | 3 piece | | Cut the tops and bases off the onions and peel away the papery skins.⏱ 30sResultPeeled yellow onion |
| 4 | Peeled yellow onionstep 3 | | Halve and thinly slice the onions into half-moon pieces.⏱ 2 minResultSliced yellow onionused in step 12 |
| 5 | 60 ml | | Pour the vegetable oil into a large heavy-based pan.⏱ 10sResultVegetable oil |
| 6 | — | | Set the pan over a medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering.⏱ 1 minResultHot oil |
| 7 | 1 piece | | Add the cassia bark to the hot oil.⏱ 15sResultHot oil and cassia bark |
| 8 | Crushed cardamom podsstep 2 | | Add the crushed cardamom pods to the hot oil and cassia bark.⏱ 15sResultCrushed cardamom pods and hot oil and cassia bark |
| 9 | 3 piece | | Add the cloves to the cardamom pod and cassia bark mixture.⏱ 15sResultCrushed cardamom pod and hot oil mixture |
| 10 | 1 tsp | | Add the cumin seeds to the clove and cardamom pod mixture.⏱ 15sResultCrushed cardamom pod and hot oil mixture |
| 11 | — | | Fry the whole spices together, stirring constantly, until the cumin seeds begin to pop and turn golden.⏱ 1 minResultFried cumin seeds |
| 12 | Sliced yellow onionstep 4 | | Add the sliced onions to the cumin seed and clove mixture in the pan.⏱ 15sResultSliced yellow onion and fried cumin seeds |
| 13 | — | | Fry the onions and whole spices over a medium heat, stirring regularly, until the onions are deep golden brown and soft.⏱ 23 minResultDeep golden onions |
| 14 | 6 piece | | Crush each garlic clove lightly with the flat of a chef's knife and slip off the skins.⏱ 30sResultPeeled garlic cloves |
| 15 | Peeled garlic clovesstep 14 | | Grate the peeled garlic cloves on a fine grater directly onto the chopping board.⏱ 1 minResultGrated garlic cloves |
| 16 | Grated garlic clovesstep 15 | | Scrape the deep golden onions onto the chopping board with the grated garlic.⏱ 15sResultDeep golden onions |
| 17 | 4 piece | | Roughly chop the tomatoes into chunky pieces on the chopping board.⏱ 2 minResultChopped tomatoes |
| 18 | Chopped tomatoesstep 17 | | Scrape the chopped tomatoes into a small bowl and set aside.⏱ 15sResultChopped tomatoesused in step 32 |
| 19 | 15 g | | Finely chop the coriander leaves on the chopping board and set aside.⏱ 1 minResultChopped coriander |
| 20 | Chopped corianderstep 19 | | Tip the chopped coriander into a small bowl and set aside.⏱ 10sResultChopped corianderused in step 43 |
| 21 | 40 g | | Hold the fresh ginger under cold running water in a colander, scrubbing off any dirt.⏱ 30sResultRinsed ginger |
| 22 | — | | Lift the rinsed ginger out of the colander onto the chopping board.⏱ 10sResultRinsed ginger |
| 23 | — | | Grate the rinsed ginger on a fine grater onto the chopping board.⏱ 1 minResultGrated ginger |
| 24 | Grated gingerstep 23 | | Add the garlic clove and onion mixture to the pan with the grated ginger.⏱ 15sResultDeep golden onions |
| 25 | — | | Fry the garlic and ginger paste over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until the raw smell has gone and the paste is fragrant.⏱ 2 minResultFragrant aromatics |
| 26 | 2 tsp | | Add the ground cumin to the fragrant aromatics.⏱ 15sResultFragrant aromatics and ground cumin |
| 27 | 2 tsp | | Add the ground coriander to the spiced aromatics.⏱ 15sResultFragrant aromatics and ground cumin and ground coriander |
| 28 | 1 tsp | | Add the chilli powder to the spiced paste.⏱ 15sResultFragrant aromatic and ground cumin mixture |
| 29 | 1 tsp | | Add the turmeric to the spiced paste.⏱ 15sResultFragrant aromatic and ground cumin mixture |
| 30 | — | | Fry the fresh ginger and garlic clove mixture with all the ground spices, stirring constantly, until the oil begins to separate and the paste smells deeply toasted.⏱ 2 minResultSpice-coated onion base |
| 31 | Patted-dry lamb chunksstep 1 | | Add the patted-dry lamb chunks to the spice-coated onion base and sear, turning frequently, until the meat is browned all over. The pan needs to be at least 30 cm across so the pieces sit in one layer; if yours is smaller, cook them in two batches.⏱ 7 minResultSeared lamb shoulder |
| 32 | Chopped tomatoesstep 18 | | Add the chopped tomatoes to the seared lamb shoulder in the pan.⏱ 15sResultChopped tomatoes and seared lamb shoulder |
| 33 | 1.5 tsp | | Add the salt to the lamb and tomato curry.⏱ 15sResultChopped tomatoes and seared lamb shoulder and salt |
| 34 | — | | Stir everything together thoroughly so the salt and tomatoes are evenly distributed through the curry.⏱ 30sResultSeasoned lamb and tomato curry |
| 35 | — | | Simmer the lamb with the tomatoes over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down into the sauce.⏱ 11 minResultLamb with broken-down tomatoes |
| 36 | 100 ml | | Pour the water into the pan with the lamb and broken-down tomatoes.⏱ 15sResultLamb with broken-down tomatoes and water |
| 37 | — | | Stir the lamb braising liquid to combine the water evenly into the sauce.⏱ 30sResultLamb with added water |
| 38 | — | | Place the lid firmly on the pan to cover the lamb braising.⏱ 15s |
| 39 | — | | Simmer the covered lamb over a low heat until the meat is completely tender and falling apart, about an hour and often longer; add a splash of hot water if the masala starts to catch.⏱ 55 minResultBraised lamb |
| 40 | 1 tsp | | Add the garam masala to the braised lamb and stir it through.⏱ 15sResultBraised lamb and garam masala |
| 41 | — | | Simmer the spiced braised lamb uncovered, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened and clings tightly to the meat.⏱ 7 minResultThickly sauce-clung lamb |
| Total Time | 2 hr 5 min | ||
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| 491kcal | |
| 47g | |
| 27g | |
| 6g | |
| 15g | |
| 4g | |
| 3g | |
| 1,056mg |
A deeply spiced, slow-cooked lamb curry with very little sauce — the point of a bhuna is concentration. Chunks of lamb shoulder simmer down with tomatoes, onions, and a full arsenal of whole and ground spices until the gravy thickens and clings to the meat. The result is rich, fragrant, and intensely savoury, with the thickened sauce coating the lamb.
What you’ll doYou will build this curry in distinct layers: first blooming whole spices in hot oil, then frying onions to a deep golden brown before adding grated garlic and ginger, and finally cooking the ground spices until the oil separates and the paste smells toasted. The lamb is seared directly in that base, then braised covered with a little water until completely tender, before being finished uncovered so the sauce reduces and clings tightly to the meat.
