Name: Lamb Kalya with yogurt and cream
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 90 min
Ingredients: 1 kg lamb pieces (preferably the leg); 1/3 cup plain yogurt; 1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste; 1/2 tspn turmeric; 2 tspn kashmiri chilli powder; 1 tbsp masala; 2 tspn ground cumin/jeera; 1/2 tspn ground soomph/fennel; 1 tspn garam masala; 1 tspn ground coriander/dhania; 1 tspn salt; pinch of egg yellow food colouring; 3 roma tomatoes (skin removed and chopped); Handful of mint leaves (chopped); 2 tbsp solid butter ghee; 1 large onion (finely chopped); 2 cinnamon sticks; 2 bay leaf; 2 star aniseed; 1 black cardamom/elachie; 4 green cardamom/elachie; 1/4 cup fresh cream

It was an early start with this Lamb Kalya with Yogurt and Cream. Both my boys are now home for the holidays, that means loads of cooking and eating.

Lamb Kalya with Yogurt and Cream

My middle son already messaged to ask what I was cooking before I had breakfast. As soon as he entered home this morning, he says “I’m starving”. You would think they are never fed.

It is a cool day in JHB so I thought a curry would be a good choice. I haven’t made this Lamb Kalya with yogurt and cream in a while and I thought he would appreciate a good curry.

Cooking the Lamb Kalya with Yogurt and Cream

Lamb Kalya with yogurt and cream is a rich, spicy and creamy dish. Whenever I cook it my kids absolutely devour it. It is so full of flavour with succulent, tender lamb pieces.

It does require a lot of spices but it is one of the simplest dishes to cook. For the Lamb Kalya you marinate the lamb with all the spices.

You have to allow it to simmer on a low heat for a long time until the meat is melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. It really isn’t one of those dishes to fuss over.

I love cooking it. I prefer using cubes of lamb leg because it has minimal bone and my kids prefer the little chunky pieces of lamb in this dish.

The yogurt and cream gives the gravy that added richness and makes this dish all the more tantalising. It is best served with Naan Bread or Rice.

I think this dish could work great cooked in a slow cooker as well. Especially if you are working, you can pop it all in the slow cooker and let it cook for a few hours.

As always I recommend freshly roasted and ground spices. If you wish you can also fry you onion beforehand and add it to the marinated meat.

More of my Lamb Recipes:

Lamb Pilaf

Spicy Lamb Kebab Chutney (South African Recipe)

Lamb Pasta Bake

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Lamb Kalya with yogurt and cream

Aromatic and delicious slow-cooked lamb in a rich yogurt and cream sauce

Course MAIN COURSES

Cuisine Indian

Keyword iindian curry, lamb curry, lamb in yogurt and cream, lamb kalya

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

Marinating the Lamb

1 kg lamb pieces preferably the leg
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
1/2 tspn turmeric
2 tspn kashmiri chilli powder
1 tbsp masala
2 tspn ground cumin/jeera
1/2 tspn ground soomph/fennel
1 tspn garam masala
1 tspn ground coriander/dhania
1 tspn salt
pinch of egg yellow food colouring
3 roma tomatoes skin removed and chopped
Handful of mint leaves chopped

Cooking the Kalya

2 tbsp solid butter ghee
1 large onion finely chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaf
2 star aniseed
1 black cardamom/elachie
4 green cardamom/elachie
1/4 cup fresh cream

Instructions

Marinate the lamb with all the spices, salt, yogurt, mint, tomatoes, ginger/garlic paste overnight or for an hour. Refrigerate
In a large pot heat the butter ghee. Add the whole spices, cinnamon stick, bay leaf. star aniseed, black cardamom and green cardamom. Fry until fragrant
Add the curry leaf and onion and fry until onion is golden brown
Add the marinated meat and bring to a boil
Lower the heat, cover and simmer. After 45 minutes add the fresh cream and simmer further until meat is tender and gravy thickens.
In between cooking you can add a little water if you prefer for more gravy
Serve with rice or naan bread

Notes

You can fry some potatoes and add it to the curry if you prefer
You can also add boiled eggs
If you are short on time you don't have to marinate your meat for a long time, however marinating overnight does allow all the flavours to really get into the meat

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Shakila

Monday 16th of August 2021

I prepared lamb kalia this weekend. it wa amazing. my family loved. Thank you Loraine.

Lorraine

Tuesday 24th of August 2021

Thank you so much Shakila. Happy to hear it was a success:-)

Zarina

Wednesday 3rd of June 2020

Hi Lorraine. Everyone loved the dish! Thank you so much once again!

Thank you so much for the feedback Zarina, much appreciated:-)

Tuesday 2nd of June 2020

Hi Lorraine.

Your food looks absolutely delicious! Thank you ! Want to attemp the lamb kalya today. Just a quick question if you don’t mind? What is “ medium masala”? I do know of garam masala but am a tad confused wrt “ medium masala”? Really want to follow your recipe exactly, so appreciate your feedback. Thank you once again!

Hi Zarina! Thank you so much. Medium masala, was just referring to the strength/heat of the masala. I think I should change that so I don't confuse people anu further. Good luck with the recipe and hope to hear how it turns out. Have a lovely day:-)

Jayshree

Tuesday 26th of May 2020

Hi Lorraine.. I with like to say.. I cooked ur recipe yesterday for Eid.. And it came out perfect.. My family loved it. Thy just couldn't stop talking about ur recipe. We had it with garlic naan. It was really finger licking good.. Thank you once again..

Hi Jayshree! Thank you so much, so glad the recipe turned out well and your family loved it. Hope you had a lovely Eid. Take Care:-)

roanne

Saturday 23rd of May 2020

Your recipes are so simple and so easy to follow. Your food looks delicious and i am sure i am going to attempt a few of them

Thank you so much Roanne:-)