Mutton Korma is a delicious and easy-to-make dish loved by many. This creamy and flavorful curry is made with tender mutton, spices, coconut milk, and nuts. It’s perfect for festive occasions, family dinners, or a relaxing weekend meal. Follow this simple step-by-step guide to enjoy a restaurant-style Mutton White Kurma at home!
Traditional Indian Mutton Korma
Mutton Kurma is a creamy and flavorful South Asian dish made with tender meat and fragrant spices. Unlike regular curries, it has a rich base made with coconut milk, yogurt, and ground nuts like cashews and almonds. This gives it a unique taste and creamy texture. It is often enjoyed with Indian breads like rotis, naan, or steamed rice.
There are many ways to make Mutton Kurma. This recipe is a traditional Indian version often served at Muslim weddings and festivals. It pairs well with Ghee Rice, flaky parottas, or even maida dosa. This white kurma has a rich gravy made with spices like bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. The base is made with onions, tomatoes, and coconut milk, and the mutton is pressure-cooked with coriander, cumin, and white pepper powder. Potatoes are added for extra flavor, making it an Aloo Mutton Kurma. It is finished with mint, pandan leaves, and fresh coriander for a delicious aroma and garnish.
Watch on how to make Aloo Mutton Korma
My Mutton Kurma Memories
Mutton Kurma is one of my favorite dishes. My mom and I often make it for special events, family dinners, or just to enjoy a nice meal. Once, we cooked it on a regular day, and the smell was so good that our neighbor thought we were celebrating something. That’s how amazing it smells!
The Royal History of Mutton Kurma
Mutton Kurma dates back to the Mughal era, where it was a highlight of royal feasts. Chefs back then used mild spices and a creamy sauce, creating a dish that stood apart from today’s spicy curries. Its gentle flavors made it a favorite for everyone. Today, Mutton Kurma is still enjoyed at weddings and celebrations across South Asia. Its rich taste and smooth texture make it a dish that brings people together for special occasions.
About the Kurma’s Color and Spice
The beauty of this Mutton Kurma is its creamy, pale color. I do not use chili or turmeric powders to keep it that way. If you like spice, you can add more green chilies or a little white pepper.
Prefer lamb? It cooks faster and is more tender than mutton. For soft meat, cook the mutton slowly on low heat in a pressure cooker. Don’t use high heat—it can make the meat tough. Start with four whistles. If it’s still chewy, cook for six more minutes. Be careful not to overcook, or the meat might dissolve into the gravy.
Potatoes are optional. You can skip them or use carrots instead.
Special Ingredients That Make Mutton Kurma Unique
- Mutton with Bones: Mutton pieces with bones are perfect for adding a deeper, natural flavor to the curry. The bones release rich juices while cooking, enhancing the overall taste and creating a hearty, satisfying dish.
- Coconut Milk: Coconut milk makes the curry creamy and smooth. It balances out the bold spices, giving the dish a mild, rich flavor that melts in your mouth. This ingredient is key to achieving a perfectly balanced curry.
- Yogurt: Yogurt adds a subtle tanginess to the curry and also works as a natural tenderizer for the meat. It breaks down the fibers, making the mutton incredibly soft and easy to eat.
- Spices (Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom, Bay Leaf): Whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and bay leaf create a fragrant base for the curry. As they release their aroma and oils while cooking, they give the dish a warm, unique flavor.
- Nut Paste (Almonds and Cashews): A paste made from almonds and cashews adds a luxurious thickness to the gravy. It makes the curry smooth, slightly nutty, and gives it a silky texture that coats every bite.
- Potatoes: Potatoes are a fantastic addition to the curry. They soak up the flavors from the spices and meat while releasing starch, which thickens the gravy slightly. They also make the dish more filling and satisfying.
- Mint Leaves: Fresh mint leaves add a refreshing, aromatic touch to the curry. They brighten the flavors and give the dish a vibrant, fresh finish that balances the richness perfectly.
Step-by-Step Instructions on how to make Mutton Korma
- Begin by soaking almonds and cashew nuts in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Peel the almonds to remove their skins. Add the blanched nuts to a blender and grind them into a smooth paste. This will form the rich base of your Korma.
- Place a pressure cooker on medium heat. Add mustard oil and ghee for a fragrant and flavour-packed base. Toss in a cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cloves, and cardamom pods. Fry for a minute until they release their aroma.
- Add the sliced onions and sauté them until translucent. This enhances the Korma’s sweetness. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and green chillies. Cook until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
- Lower the heat and add the ginger garlic paste. Sauté for 5 minutes, allowing the raw smell to disappear. Add the mutton pieces to the pot. Increase the flame to high and sauté for 5 minutes until the meat is well-coated with the spices. Season with salt.
- Add in the mint leaves and the pandan leaves (optional). Stir in the yogurt while keeping the flame low to prevent curdling. Cook for another 2 minutes on low flame, followed by 5 minutes on medium flame.
- Pour both the thick and diluted coconut milk into the cooker. Sprinkle in coriander powder, cumin powder, fennel powder, white pepper powder, and the almond-cashew paste. Mix everything thoroughly to ensure even distribution.
- Close the cooker with its lid and secure the weight. Cook on medium flame for 3 whistles, ensuring the mutton is tender and infused with all the spices. If you want, add chopped potatoes after opening the lid. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes until the potatoes soften.
- Transfer the Korma to a serving pot. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and a sprinkle of mint for added freshness.
Adding of potatoes are completely optional but highly recommended.
Serving Suggestions
Aloo Mutton Korma tastes amazing with Ghee rice (recipe video ), Peas Pulao, or a fragrant Veggie Biryani. You can also pair it with simple Veggie Pulao, crispy papadum, and a side of lemon or mango pickle. For a refreshing touch, serve it with a cooling raita. If you want to make it a feast, add a side of Chicken Fry or Chicken Masala Fry for a perfect spread.
Chicken Korma: A Close Cousin of Mutton Korma
If you like Mutton Korma, you’ll love Chicken Korma. It has the same creamy, nutty, and mildly spiced sauce but uses chicken instead of mutton. Since chicken cooks faster, it has a lighter, softer texture. Chicken Korma is perfect for family dinners, celebrations, or when you want a special meal without much effort. The rich mix of yogurt, nuts, and spices creates a tasty gravy that covers every bite of chicken. It’s a simple, comforting dish everyone will enjoy!
Mutton Korma Recipe (White Korma)
Description
Mutton Korma is a sumptuous and aromatic dish, perfect for anyone who enjoys rich, flavorful curries. This South Indian delicacy combines tender pieces of mutton with a symphony of spices, creamy coconut milk, and a hint of tangy yogurt, creating a luscious and decadent gravy. The cooking method, which involves sautéing the ingredients to build layers of flavor before pressure cooking the mutton to perfection, ensures a dish that is both complex in taste and tender in texture. The addition of optional ingredients like screwpine leaves and chopped potatoes allows for customization based on personal preference and ingredient availability. Whether served with various types of Indian bread or rice, Mutton Kurma promises a delightful culinary experience that is both satisfying and memorable.
Ingredients for the Mutton Korma
Instructions on how to make the Mutton korma
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Blanch 8 almonds in hot water and remove their skins.
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Blanch 8 cashew nuts.
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In a mixer jar, add the almonds and cashew nuts and grind to a smooth paste.
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In a pressure cooker, add 4-5 tbsp mustard oil and 1 tbsp ghee.
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Introduce a piece of cinnamon, a bay leaf, 4 cloves, and 4 cardamom pods to the cooker.
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On medium flame, add 250 g sliced onions and sauté until translucent.
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Add 5 green chilies and 100g tomatoes, sautéing until mushy.
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Incorporate 3 tbsp ginger garlic paste and sauté on low flame for 5 minutes.
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Add the mutton pieces and sauté on high flame for 5 minutes.
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Season with salt to taste.
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Add a few chopped mint leaves and screwpine leaves
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Add 1 cup of yogurt, stirring on low flame for 2 minutes, then adjust the flame to medium and sauté for another 5 minutes.
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Pour in the thick and diluted coconut milk.
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Add cumin powder, fennel powder, white pepper powder, coriander powder, and the ground almond and cashew nut paste. Stir quickly.
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Close the pressure cooker and secure the weight. Cook the mutton on medium flame for 3 whistles.
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Once the pressure settles, open the cooker and optionally add chopped potatoes. Simmer the kurma for another 10 minutes.
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Transfer the korma to another pot, garnish with chopped coriander leaves, and serve hot with rotis, naan, chapattis, parathas, ghee rice, or even plain rice.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 1069.71kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 87.47g135%
- Saturated Fat 51.39g257%
- Trans Fat 0g
- Cholesterol 187.96mg63%
- Sodium 1087.86mg46%
- Potassium 1480.07mg43%
- Total Carbohydrate 25.79g9%
- Dietary Fiber 5.57g23%
- Sugars 9.26g
- Protein 50.33g101%
- Vitamin A 98.4 mcg
- Vitamin C 150.84 mg
- Calcium 253.06 mg
- Iron 12.26 mg
- Vitamin D 0.31 mcg
- Vitamin E 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K 20.07 mcg
- Thiamin 0.44 mg
- Riboflavin 0.75 mg
- Niacin 16.22 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.75 mg
- Folate 121.16 mcg
- Vitamin B12 6.55 mcg
- Phosphorus 679.07 mg
- Magnesium 174.12 mg
- Zinc 11.78 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
