Can I use boneless lamb instead of lamb on the bone?

Yes, you can use boneless lamb shoulder or leg, though the bone adds extra flavour and helps create a richer sauce. If using boneless lamb, reduce the cooking time slightly—check for tenderness after 7 hours on Low or 4 hours on High, as boneless meat cooks a bit faster

What if I don't have clarified butter?

You can substitute with ghee, which is essentially the same product, or use a mixture of unsalted butter and a neutral oil (like vegetable or groundnut oil). Avoid regular butter for high-heat browning as it will burn; however, ghee is ideal for this recipe and is readily available in most supermarkets and Asian grocers

Can I make this in the oven instead of a slow cooker?

Absolutely. After browning the lamb and building the sauce base as described, transfer everything to a heavy casserole dish with a lid. Cook in a preheated oven at 160°C for 2–2.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is tender. This method gives you more control over the cooking process

Why is it important to add the fried onions at the end?

Fried onions lose their crispy texture and distinctive flavour if cooked for extended periods in the moist environment of a slow cooker. By adding them just before serving as a garnish, you preserve their crunch and sweet, caramelised flavour, which provides essential textural contrast to the rich, tender curry

This Is The BEST Lamb Curry I Have EVER Made To Date!

by My Little Kitchen

Lamb

Published 11 May 2026Original video

This stunning Mughlai Gosht is a celebration-worthy lamb curry that hails from the royal kitchens of the Mughal Empire. Rich with aromatic spices including cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and Kashmiri chilli, this dish features fall-apart-tender lamb cooked in clarified butter with cashews and fried onions for authentic depth of flavour. The slow cooker method makes this elegant dish accessible for home cooks, requiring just a little preparation before letting the oven do the work. Your guests will be asking for the recipe after the first bite

Video thumbnail: This Is The BEST Lamb Curry I Have EVER Made To Date!

Watch: This Is The BEST Lamb Curry I Have EVER Made To Date!

Original recipe video — click to play

Original video by My Little Kitchen4k likes on YouTube

25 mins

Prep time

8 hrs

Slow cook (Low)

5 hrs

Slow cook (High)

Serves

8 hrs 25 mins

Total (Low)

Slow cooker setting:Low 8 hours or High 5 hours

Original method: 45 minutes stovetop

Ingredients

Servings:

Units:

Main

1000 g Lamb on the bone, cut into chunks (leg recommended)
Brown in a heavy pan before transferring to slow cooker for best flavour
250 ml Clarified butter, divided
Use for browning meat and cooking aromatics
450 g Tomatoes, blended or finely chopped
Can use tinned tomatoes if fresh are unavailable
400 ml Water
Reduced from 500ml for slow cooker to prevent watery curry

Aromatics

45 g Garlic and ginger paste
3 tablespoons
4 whole Green chillies, whole or halved
Leave whole or halve for less heat

Spices

10 g Kashmiri chilli powder
2 teaspoons
20 g Coriander powder
4 teaspoons
5 g Cumin powder
1 teaspoon
3 g Turmeric powder
0.5 teaspoon
10 g Salt
2 teaspoons, adjust to taste

Whole Spices

8 whole Green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
Crush slightly to release flavour
8 whole Cloves
2 whole Cinnamon sticks
Broken in half
4 whole Bay leaves
1 g Nutmeg, freshly grated or ground
0.25 teaspoon
1 g Mace, ground
0.25 teaspoon

Finishing

30 g Unsalted cashews, whole or halved
Toast lightly before adding for enhanced flavour
60 g Fried onions
Add just before serving as garnish
Reserve to add at the end to maintain crispness

Method

1
Toast the whole spices (cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves) in a dry pan for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.
~2 mins
Tip: This releases the essential oils and deepens the flavour
2
Heat 125ml of the clarified butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, brown the lamb pieces on all sides until golden (approximately 5–7 minutes per batch). Set the browned lamb aside.
~15 mins
Tip: Browning develops a rich, deep flavour that slow cooking alone cannot achieve
3
In the same pan, add the remaining clarified butter. Add the garlic and ginger paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
~3 mins
Tip: Avoid burning the paste
4
Add the powdered spices (Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, nutmeg, and mace) and stir continuously for 30 seconds to bloom the spices in the fat.
~1 min
Tip: This step is crucial for developing deep spice flavour
5
Add the blended or finely chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes until the mixture begins to darken and the raw tomato smell disappears.
~4 mins
Tip: This helps build a rich sauce base
6
Transfer the browned lamb, the tomato mixture, the toasted whole spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves), the green chillies, salt, and the 400ml of water to your slow cooker. Stir well to combine.
~5 mins
Tip: Ensure the liquid covers the lamb for even cooking
7
Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 5 hours, until the lamb is extremely tender and falls away from the bone easily.
~8 hrs
Tip: Check after 7 hours on Low to ensure the curry is not becoming too thick; add a splash of water if necessary
8
In the final 15 minutes of cooking, lightly toast the cashews in a dry pan until golden. Stir them into the curry.
~5 mins
Tip: Toasting intensifies their nutty flavour
9
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve the curry hot, garnished generously with the reserved fried onions and fresh coriander if desired.
~2 mins
Tip: The fried onions add essential texture and flavour contrast

Nutrition

Detailed nutritional information is coming soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

: Yes, you can use boneless lamb shoulder or leg, though the bone adds extra flavour and helps create a richer sauce. If using boneless lamb, reduce the cooking time slightly—check for tenderness after 7 hours on Low or 4 hours on High, as boneless meat cooks a bit faster

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