Mutton Karahi & Lamb Karahi Recipe | Karahi Gosht
Mutton/lamb karahi: the dish is present on all dawat or party menus. Whether it’s a birthday dinner, lunch party, housewarming, or friend’s get-together, mutton karahi is definitely going to be on the menu!
This restaurant-style karahi gosht recipe will teach you how to make a delicious, tender, simple mutton karahi. I make sure to provide you with detailed steps, along with pictures and the simplest of ingredients so that you can become a master in the kitchen.
About Mutton Karahi
Karahi, means wok, in Hindi/Urdu. Karahi gosht, or mutton karahi, is meat that has been cooked in a wok. The goat meat (mutton) is cooked in a rich combination of oil/ghee, lots of tomatoes, green chilies, and a handful of spices.
I prefer cooking the meat in oil or ghee, but some recipes call for animal fat. Cooking the goat or lamb meat on low, medium heat with tomatoes and spices makes a deliciously tangy and spicy gravy. Additionally, when served with naan from the tandoor or a simple homemade roti, this dish is definitely a hit!
Moreover, mutton karahi is a special dish during Eid-ul-Adha, the ‘meaty Eid’, a Muslim festival celebrated yearly.
You might enjoy many other mutton/lamb recipes: Aloo gosht, Arvi gosht, Bhindi Gosht.
Reasons to Love this Recipe
- When the recipes are simple and easy, cooking becomes even more fun! This karahi gosht recipe uses basic ingredients and simple steps, and equally important, the result is delicious!
- Although, you can substitute with chicken if you prefer, mutton is the meat of choice. Some karahi recipes call for onions, and some don’t. You can choose to add the onion or not.
- All dhabas and restaurants in Pakistan and India serve mutton karahi. My recipe is authentic restaurant-style and will become your favorite.
- This is one of the most famous dishes in Asia. The taste is unforgettable! You can serve it with a simple green salad and yogurt-based raita and have a delicious meal!
Ingredients
Here is an explanation of the ingredients needed to make this Mutton karahi recipe.
- Mutton: For my recipe, I always use bone-in mutton. The bone provides a deeper and richer flavor. Meat, which has some fat, will add greater flavor to the dish. You can use lamb meat, too.
- Oil/Ghee: You can cook the karahi in oil for a healthier alternative. But add some ghee in the end to give it an authentic aroma and taste. Alternatively, you can use ghee alone to cook the meat.
- Tomatoes: Fresh, red, and ripe tomatoes form the masala base for mutton karahi. Furthermore, ripe and juicy tomatoes are best for a thicker and tastier gravy. Moreover, if you wish, you can blend the tomatoes into a puree. But I prefer using chopped tomatoes.
- Ginger and Garlic paste: As always, ginger and garlic are essential in any Asian meat curry. They add deep flavor and remove any meaty smell.
- Spices: Although, mutton karahi requires very limited spices, do not skip adding green chilies because lamb karahi will not have an authentic taste without them.
For quantities, read the recipe card below.
Instructions
Now, let’s make mutton karahi.
- First, heat the oil in a wok or karahi. Once it’s hot, add the zeera and saute it.
- Next, add the ginger and garlic paste and saute.
First, add oil to the karahi and preheat.
When the oil is hot, add zeera and fry.
Next add ginger and garlic paste and fry.
Saute the pastes and zeera.
- Now add the mutton. Fry it on a low flame with ginger and garlic until it changes color and there is no meat odor. This will take about 5 minutes. (Note: It is especially important to fry the mutton in ginger garlic paste, otherwise, it may become smelly.)
Now add the mutton to the hot oil.
Saute the mutton till it changes color.
- Next, it’s time to add the spices. Add ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ tsp red chili powder, ¼ tsp red chili flakes, and 2 tsp black pepper powder. Black pepper powder is the most important spice in this karahi recipe.
Next, add the spices to the mutton.
First, add black pepper powder because it is the most important ingredient.
Add the chili powder and chili flakes to the mutton.
Saute the spices and mutton together.
- Saute the mutton and spices together for a minute.
- Next, add the cubed tomatoes and 1 cup water.
- Cover your karahi and cook for 30 minutes or until the water is reduced. (Note: You must add the tomatoes with the meat and let both cook together. If you add the tomatoes after the meat is tender, the mutton will break apart while the tomatoes cook.)
Add water and cover the karahi.
- After the water is almost dry, uncover the karahi and break up the tomatoes with a spoon.
After 30 minutes, uncover the mutton.
Break up the tomatoes with a spoon.
- The mutton is not fully cooked yet. It is half-done. Add another half cup of water, cover the karahi, and let it cook for another 30-40 minutes.
Saute the meat for a minute.
Add more water.
Cover and cook for a further 30 minutes till the mutton is tender.
- Once the mutton is tender and the water has dried, add a 1-inch piece of thinly cut ginger thinly cut, and 2 to 3 green chilies. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes at low flame for maximum flavor.
Finally, add green chili and ginger slices.
- After 3 to 4 minutes, sprinkle approximately ¼ tsp teaspoon black pepper powder on the mutton karahi and turn off the stove.
- Finally, your black pepper mutton karahi is ready to serve! Enjoy it with a hot naan or homemade roti.
Turn off the flame.
Finally, add black pepper powder and enjoy!
Hint: Adding the black pepper powder at the end of cooking ensures that it gives a delicious peppery taste to the karahi.
When cooking the lamb karahi, add a tablespoon of ghee for an authentic aroma and taste.
Substitutions
I don’t add onions to my mutton karahi, but you can add some finely chopped onions if you like masala or gravy.
You can use tinned tomatoes. Although, I prefer fresh tomatoes because they give more flavor to the karahi.
Additionally, if you don’t like mutton, you can substitute it with chicken.
Equipment
Here is a list of the kitchen essentials I used to make mutton karahi:
- Karahi or wok: A large karahi provides more surface area to cook the mutton.
- Knife and chopping board
- Wooden Spoon
- Measuring spoons: to measure the spices
Top tip
- I like to roughly chop the tomatoes to give the gravy more texture. But you can puree them or use tinned if you prefer a smooth gravy.
- Additionally, you can add a tablespoon of yogurt to the mutton while it’s cooking. The yogurt also adds a tangy flavor and makes the gravy creamier.
- If you like making mutton karahi, definitely buy a big karahi to get the authentic taste.
- Finally, ginger and garlic are essential in this recipe. They add a ton of flavor and aroma.
FAQ
The best cut of meat is goat/lamb shoulder or chops. Because these parts are high in fat content, they give more flavor to the dish. But you can use other cuts too.
A large metal wok-like pan used for cooking or frying is called a Karhai or kadai. It is usually used for cooking quickly, at high temperatures. When you cook meat in this pan, it is called Gosht karahi.
Yes, this dish freezes very well. When reheated after thawing, it tastes freshly prepared. You can reheat it on the stove with a bit of water or in the microwave.
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