Step by step

Method

8 steps

1. 1

   Blend 2½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger, 8 garlic cloves, and 4 tablespoons water into a smooth paste. Cut 2–2½ lb boneless lamb shoulder (or stewing beef) into 1½-inch cubes and pat dry.

2. 2

   Heat 4–5 tablespoons oil or ghee in a wide heavy pot over medium-high until shimmering. Brown the meat in batches without crowding, 3–4 minutes per batch, until the outsides are browned — gray steamed meat won't give you a rich gravy. Transfer to a plate.

3. 3

   Lower heat to medium. In the same oil, add 10 green cardamom pods, 2 bay leaves, 6 whole cloves, 10 black peppercorns, and 2–3 cinnamon sticks (about 2 inches each). Stir 30–45 seconds until the cloves plump and the bay leaves color lightly — the kitchen should smell warm and spice-shop fragrant.

4. 4

   Add 2 large finely chopped onions and fry about 5 minutes until medium brown. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste 30 seconds. Add 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 2 teaspoons cumin seeds (or 1½ teaspoons ground cumin), 4 teaspoons sweet paprika or Kashmiri chili, ¼–1 teaspoon cayenne, and 1–1¼ teaspoons salt; fry 30 seconds. Return the meat and juices; toss 30 seconds to coat.

5. 5

   Add 6 tablespoons room-temperature plain yogurt 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring each spoonful in before the next. Fry a few minutes until the sauce looks smooth and emulsified — not curdled white flecks. If it looks split, lower the heat and keep stirring.

6. 6

   Pour in about 1 cup water for lamb (up to 1¾ cups for beef). Scrape the pot, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low until the meat is fork-tender — about 1 hour for lamb (or chicken thighs), up to 2 hours for beef. Stir every 10 minutes and add a splash of water if the pot looks dry; meat should stay mostly submerged.

7. 7

   Uncover, raise heat to medium, and reduce the sauce to a thick gravy that coats the meat, 5–10 minutes. Spoon off excess fat if you want. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon garam masala and freshly ground black pepper; stir.

8. 8

   Taste for salt. Serve with basmati rice or naan. You want fork-tender lamb in a deep red, aromatic gravy — not tough cubes in thin watery sauce or a broken yogurt mess.