Punjabi Mutton Curry Recipe
Rich and packed with bold Punjabi flavors, this Punjabi mutton curry is comfort food at its finest. Tender mutton simmered in a spiced onion-tomato gravy creates a hearty curry that’s perfect with naan, roti, or steamed rice.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
For The Marination
- 1 kilogram bone-in goat mutton pieces or 750 grams boneless mutton pieces
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
For The Vurry
- 5 tablespoons mustard oil or any other cooking oil
- 2 black cardamom pods (badi elaichi)
- 1 bay leaf (tejpatta)
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon (dalchini)
- 3-4 cloves (laung)
- 3-4 dried red chilies
- 1 and ½ cups finely chopped red onions
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 2-3 green chilies slit in half
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 tablespoon crushed kasuri methi
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander)
Instructions
Marinate The Mutton
- Add mutton pieces, yogurt, lime juice, chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, and ginger-garlic paste to a large mixing bowl. Mix well so every piece is coated with the marinade. Cover the bowl and rest the mutton for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Yogurt and lime juice tenderize the meat while the spices begin to penetrate the fibers. Skipping this step means less flavor and tougher meat.
Build The Masala
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add black cardamom pods, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, and dried red chilies. Let them sputter for 5-6 seconds until fragrant.
- Add onions and cook, stirring often, for 12-15 minutes until deep golden brown. Do not rush this step. Pale onions = pale, flat curry.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilies. Stir for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
Add Spices
- Add coriander powder, chili powder, and black pepper powder to the cooker and cook for 30-40 seconds.
To make the curry even bolder, you can add a tablespoon of meat masala at this stage. I like the Shan and Everest brand masala.
Add The Mutton
- Add the marinated mutton to the cooker along with the marinade. Stir and sear the mutton for 5–7 minutes, coating every piece in the masala. You want to see the meat change color on all sides. Add ½ cup water, scrape the bottom of the pot, and mix well.
Add Tomatoes
- Add tomatoes and cook, stirring often, for 10–12 minutes, until the tomatoes have completely broken down and oil begins to pool at the edges of the masala. This is the most important visual cue in the entire recipe.
Cook
- Close the lid. Pressure cook for 1 whistle over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the cooker from the heat and let the pressure release naturally.
If cooking in a pan over the stovetop, then add 1.5 cups water, cover tightly, and simmer on low heat for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, adding water as needed, until the mutton is fork-tender.
If cooking in an Instant Pot, then sauté the masala using the sauté function, then switch to manual high pressure for 20 minutes with natural release.
Finish And Serve
- Open the pot. Check mutton for tenderness; the meat should pull away from the bone easily. If not, pressure-cook for a few more minutes. Adjust salt.
- If the curry is too thin, cook uncovered on medium heat for 5–10 minutes to thicken.
- Stir in garam masala, kasuri methi, and ghee. Sprinkle cilantro on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
You can skip adding tomato and increase the amount of yogurt by ½ cup for a taste change.
Nutrition
Calories: 970kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 81g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 36g | Cholesterol: 196mg | Sodium: 1533mg | Potassium: 903mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 879IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 6mg
