Manchester Curry Mile Lamb Karahi
Tender lamb cooked in a rich, spiced tomato and ginger sauce, inspired by the legendary Pakistani restaurants of Manchester's Rusholme district.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Karahi or heavy deep frying pan
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chopping board
- •Sharp knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 30 g
- carbs
- 10 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 42 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Heat the vegetable oil in a karahi (a thick, round-bottomed cooking pan) or deep frying pan over medium-high heat.
- 2
Add the chopped onions and fry for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.
- 3
Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 4
Add the diced lamb and salt, searing over high heat for 6 to 8 minutes until browned all over.
- 5
Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, Kashmiri chilli powder, and ground turmeric.
- 6
Stir the spices thoroughly through the meat for 1 minute until aromatic.
- 7
Add the chopped tomatoes and 100ml water, stirring well to lift any browned bits from the pan.
- 8
Lower the hob heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for 40 minutes until the lamb is tender.
- 9
Remove the lid, increase the heat to high, and stir constantly for 5 minutes until the sauce clings to the meat.
- 10
Stir through the sliced green chillies and garam masala.
- 11
Scatter over the fresh coriander and extra ginger julienne before serving piping hot.
Chef's tips
Frying the sauce vigorously at the end (a technique known as bhunno) is essential for condensing the flavours and creating that signature restaurant sheen. Use bone-in lamb shoulder chunks if available for even richer flavour.
Ingredient substitutions
- diced lamb shoulder → skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces (reduce simmer time to 20 minutes)
- Kashmiri chilli powder → half standard mild chilli powder and half sweet paprika
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a frying pan over medium hob heat with a splash of water until piping hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding too much water, which boils the meat rather than frying it in its rich spiced masala.
- •Skipping the final high-heat reduction step, leaving the sauce watery instead of thick and glossy.
Serving suggestions
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