Spicy lamb karahi garnished with coriander and lemon
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Mutton Karahi Recipe (Pakistani Style)

ByZeeshan Ashiq
Jump to recipeRead the FAQ

Mutton karahi is the heavier, richer cousin of chicken karahi. The meat is tender and deeply savoury, and the sauce is built the same way: tomatoes cooked down hard until they cling to the pieces.

The only real difference is time. Mutton needs a long, gentle simmer first, then a hot, fast finish. Get both stages right and the dish tastes like the one served at a roadside karahi stand, not a stew.

Why you will like this version

  • Two clear stages: tenderise first, then build the sauce.
  • Works in a pressure cooker if you are short on time.
  • No onion, no cream, and only a few spices.

What is mutton karahi?

Mutton karahi is a Pakistani and North Indian dish of bone-in mutton or goat cooked with tomatoes, ginger, garlic, black pepper and green chilies. The name comes from the karahi, a deep, rounded cooking pot. Like the chicken version, it has no onion base and very few spices.

Choosing the meat

Use bone-in pieces from the shoulder, leg or ribs. The bone gives flavour and the fat gives a glossy sauce. Ask the butcher to cut small, about 3 to 4 cm, so the pieces cook evenly. Goat (bakra) cooks faster than mutton from older sheep.

Do not trim away all the fat. It carries flavour and is what the oil in the final sauce comes from.

The two-stage method

The key idea is to separate tenderising from saucemaking. First you fry the meat and simmer it in a small amount of water until it is nearly tender. Then you cook the water away, add the tomatoes and fry hard until the oil separates. This is called bhunai.

If you add the tomatoes too early, the meat stays tough. If you skip the final high-heat stage, the sauce is thin and sour. Both stages matter.

Tips for the best mutton karahi

  • Use hot water, not cold, so the meat does not seize.
  • Keep the lid on during the simmer. Check every 15 minutes.
  • Use ripe tomatoes. Pale ones give a sour sauce.
  • Crush the whole spices by hand or in a mortar. They should be coarse, not powder.
  • Add the yogurt at the end, and whisk it first.

What to serve with it

Hot naan, tandoori roti or paratha. Add sliced onion, green chilies and lemon on the side, and a bowl of plain yogurt or raita. Plain basmati rice also works.

Storage and reheating

Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, covered. Reheat gently with a spoonful of water. Mutton karahi freezes well for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge.

Mutton Karahi

Tender bone-in mutton simmered, then cooked down with tomatoes, ginger and green chilies in the classic karahi style.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kg bone-in mutton or goat, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup neutral oil or ghee
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 500 g ripe tomatoes, chopped (about 4 medium)
  • 1 tsp red chili flakes
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely crushed
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely crushed
  • 1 tsp black pepper, freshly crushed
  • 4 green chilies, slit lengthwise
  • 2 tbsp thick plain yogurt, whisked
  • 2 tbsp ginger, cut into thin matchsticks
  • 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Method
 

  1. Heat the oil in a heavy pot or karahi over high heat. Add the mutton and fry, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes until the pieces lose their raw color.
  2. Add the ginger paste, garlic paste and salt. Fry for 2 minutes.
  3. Pour in the hot water. Bring to a boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until the mutton is nearly tender. Stir now and then and top up with a splash of hot water if the pot dries out. A pressure cooker needs about 25 minutes at full pressure.
  4. Uncover and cook off most of the liquid over high heat. Add the tomatoes, cover, and cook on medium for 10 minutes until they collapse.
  5. Raise the heat to high. Mash the tomatoes into the meat and fry hard, stirring constantly, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the sauce is thick and the oil pools at the edge.
  6. Add the chili flakes, coriander seeds, cumin and black pepper. Stir for 1 minute, then add the green chilies and yogurt. Cook 3 to 5 minutes more.
  7. Turn off the heat. Top with ginger matchsticks and coriander. Serve hot with naan or roti.

Notes

The time depends on the age of the animal. Goat is usually faster than mutton. Keep cooking in the simmer step until a piece gives easily when pressed. Do not add tomatoes until the meat is nearly tender, because the acid can slow softening.

Mutton Karahi FAQ

How long does mutton karahi take?

Plan for about 110 minutes in total: 20 for prep and 90 for cooking. In a pressure cooker the simmer stage drops to about 25 minutes.

Can I use lamb instead of mutton?

Yes. Lamb is more tender and needs only about 30 to 40 minutes in the simmer stage.

Why is my mutton still tough?

It needed more time in the simmer stage. Cover it, add a little hot water and keep cooking until a piece gives easily when pressed.

Can I make it without yogurt?

Yes. The yogurt is optional and gives a slight tang. Leave it out and add a squeeze of lemon at the end if you like.

What is the difference between mutton karahi and mutton handi?

Karahi is cooked in a wok-style pot with a thick tomato-based sauce. Handi is usually slow-cooked in a deeper clay or steel pot, often with onion and more gravy.

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