Indian Slow Cooker Lamb Masala aka Mutton Masala
Lamb masala, also called mutton masala, is a classic Indian meat dish with a distinct flavor and aroma. The process is simple, easy and effortless with exotic Indian spices that make this dish a true success. Whether you eat it with Indian chapati, naan or plain white rice this dish is to die for.
Indian Slow Cooked Lamb Masala aka Mutton Masala
If you love Indian food, then this slow cooked tender juicy lamb is for you. The recipe is simple, easy and effortless with the spices being the real stars of the dish. I’d highly recommend getting the spices even if it is only for this one dish.
What’s the difference between lamb and mutton (Save/Pin)
I am always confused with the international description from various big websites as to what is mutton. They say lamb is a sheep that is less than one year of age and an adult sheep is mutton. Hence, the adult sheep meat is mutton.
And yet, I grew up eating mutton in India. To me, mutton is goat meat. Yup!
Mutton is very popular in India and we don’t really have the climate that’s good for sheep. With a country that has mostly tropical weather (except in the north where it’s fairly cold), how would the poor sheep survive!! What we do have plenty of are goats!! and that’s the meat commonly sold in India.
So if you eat mutton in India, which is what I am used to, it’s usually goat meat. While if you eat mutton in the US, or the rest of the world it’s an adult sheep.
In India mutton (goat meat) can range from a young to adult goat and the meat is usually very tender and flavorful. However, if you eat mutton from adult sheep the meat is tough with a very strong flavor. Not everyone can handle it. In fact, I did buy mutton once. And guess what? My kids hated it because the smell was very strong. So ever since then, we only use lamb, which is tender and more desirable.
So now you know why I prefer Lamb Masala instead of Mutton Masala. If you are in India, by all means, use goat meat and make this delicious mutton masala.
Indian Lamb Masala aka Mutton Masala
Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes
As you can see this dish is fairly simple in terms of method or technique because what makes this dish a success is those spices.
- Meat – As I said above – you can use lamb or mutton and if that does not work for you; use chicken – I won’t tell anyone. Call it chicken masala! It’s still delish.
- Lamb – I prefer to use lamb shoulder or leg for slow cooking. The meat does take longer to cook but it comes out tender and juicy.
- Onions – I use brown onions but you can use red ones too. Red onion adds a bit of sweetness which is very desirable. It is very important that you cook the onions longer and slower; this will help caramelize the onions which not just enhances the taste but also adds that touch of deep red color to this dish. (which I love)
- Yogurt – Meat and dairy cooked together have a unique taste. In addition, yogurt also tenderizes the meat and makes it cook faster.
- Spices – As I said, the success of this dish is in the spices. In most of my other Indian recipes, I let you use substitute curry powder. But in this one, I rather stay true to the dish. You can use curry powder but then it won’t be the same lamb masala I want you to enjoy. It will still be absolutely delicious and I would encourage you to use it if that’s all you have.
- Fennel seeds – This is the star spice in this dish. Mutton masala has to have fennel powder in there!! It is’ what makes it mutton masala.
Indian Lamb Masala aka Mutton Masala
Ready Made Mutton Masala (Save for later)
This is a really popular Indian dish and rightfully so. The spices in this dish are unique and well balanced which is why you can find them ready-made in a box. I highly recommend buying a pack. You can use it to make other meat dishes too. Try this spice when making mutton coconut curry! or substitute it for curry powder sometimes. I love giving my curries a little twist once in a while. See Ready Made Mutton Masala Powder
Indian Lamb Masala aka Mutton Masala
Can I use a Slow Cooker?
Absolutely!! I love using my slow cooker for such slow-cooked dishes. I have shared how you can use the slow cooker below in the method. Remember you can make your slow cooker meals even better with a little stove top saute first which is what I have done here. Sear and saute the ingredients first then add them to the slow cooker and forget about it. If you just throw all raw ingredients into a slow cooker the end result ain’t the same. A little extra effort goes a long way.
Indian Lamb Masala aka Mutton Masala
Recipe – Slow Cooked Lamb Masala aka Mutton Masala (save in recipe board for later)
Tools
- Saute Pan
- Spatula
- Slow cooker (optional)
Ingredients
For the meat
- Lamb – 800 garam ( 1 3/4 lbs)
- Cooking oil – 2 tbsp
- Onions chopped – 1 cup
- Tomato paste – 1 tbsp
- Bay leaves – 2 large or 3 small
- Cinnamon stick – 1 large
- Yogurt – 1 cup
- Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
- Black pepper powder – 1 tsp
- Salt – 2 tsp or more to taste
- Coriander leaves – 1/2 cup
Spice mix
- Ginger – 2-inch piece
- Garlic – 5 cloves
- Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp
- Sweet smoked Paprika – 1 tbsp
- Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
- Coriander – 2 tbsp
- Fennel seed powder- 1 tsp fennel
- Garam masala – 1 tsp
Method
Prepare
- Clean lamb removing any silver skin and excess fat.
- Cut into bite-size cubes and pat dry to remove excess moisture.
- Season with salt and pepper – set aside.
- Measure all ingredients now so you won’t burn the spices when cooking.
- Cut onions fairly thin so they cook faster and blend in the sauce.
- Grate the ginger and minced or grate the cloves fine.
Saute
- Add oil to a pan over medium heat.
- Saute onions with bay leaves and cinnamon stick for 5 to 7 minutes (see notes above) until cooked and caramelized but not burned.
- Then add the lamb pieces – sear the meat for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Next, add the spices one at a time along with 1/4 cup water.
- Stir for 3 to 4 minutes on medium-low – until the spices are cooked with a beautiful aroma in the air. (you will smell the fennel powder).
- Add the tomato paste and mix well to combine.
- Next goes in the yogurt – mix well for a minute or so.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Lastly, add the lemon juice and 1 cup water.
Slow Cook
- Bring to a boil over medium heat then.
- Lower the heat to a low simmer and cook on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- If you use mutton it will take almost two hours to cook the meat on low.
- Make sure to add a little water every time you stir so it won’t burn at the bottom.
- Cook until mutton is fork tender.
Slow Cooker
- Alternatively, transfer to a slow cooker and
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hour until the meat is fork tender (my preferred method).
- Or cook on high for 4 hours until fork tender.
Garnish & Serve
- When done sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro and give it one good stir.
- Sprinkle more chopped cilantro for garnish.
- Serve with any Indian bread or rice.
- Enjoy!
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Indian Slow Cooked Lamb aka Mutton Masala Recipe
Slow Cooked Lamb Masala or Mutton Masala Recipe
Ingredients
For the meat
- 800 grams Lamb
- 2 tbsp Cooking oil
- 1 cup Onions chopped (1 med)
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 250 ml Yogurt (1 cup)
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tsp Pepper powder
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Coriander leaves
Spice mix
- 1 pieces Ginger (1/2 inch)
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp Sweet smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 2 tbsp Coriander
- 1 tsp Fennel seed powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala
Instructions
Prepare
- Clean lamb removing any silver skin and excess fat.
- Cut into bite-size cubes and pat dry to remove excess moisture.
- Season with salt and pepper - set aside.
- Measure all ingredients now so you won't burn the spices when cooking.
- Cut onions fairly thin so they cook faster and blend in the sauce.
- Grate the ginger. Mince the garlic.
Saute
- Add oil to a pan over medium heat.
- Saute onions with bay leaves and cinnamon stick for 5 to 7 minutes (see notes above) until cooked and caramelized but not burned.
- Then add the lamb pieces - sear the meat for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Next, add the spices one at a time along with 1/4 cup water.
- Stir for 3 to 4 minutes on medium-low - until the spices are cooked with a beautiful aroma in the air. (you will smell the fennel powder).
- Add the tomato paste and mix well to combine.
- Next goes in the yogurt - mix well for a minute or so.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Lastly, add the lemon juice and 1 cup water.
Slow cook
- Bring to a boil over medium heat then
- Lower the heat to a low simmer and cook on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- If you use mutton it will take almost two hours to cook the meat on low.
- Make sure to add a little water every time you stir so it won't burn at the bottom.
- Cook until mutton is fork tender.
Slow Cooker
- Alternatively, transfer to a slow cooker and
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hour until the meat is fork tender (my preferred method).
- Or cook on high for 4 hours until fork tender.
Garnish & Serve
- When done sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro and give it one good stir.
- Sprinkle more chopped cilantro for garnish.
- Serve with any Indian bread or rice.
- Enjoy!
Do you love Indian Food? Me too! which is why I have a collection of modern Indian recipes for you.
You can see my Indian Recipe Collection here. Or find a full list of all recipe here on my Recipe Index.
Modern Indian Recipes by Veena Azmanov – Indian Recipe collection
Love Slow Cooking? Me too!
You can find more of my slow cooked recipes here whether you have a slow cooker or not.
Alternatively, you can see my Recipe Index for all available recipes on this blog.
A Collection of Slow Cooker Recipe – Easy Crock Pot Recipes
Hi Veena and all you awesome people. Just wanted to share the receipe i tried from Veena’s collection. Mutton Masala. It was awesome and my children loved it. Thank you Veena for sharing. Those who like spicy curries. Pls do try it out.
Thank you so much, Padma. So happy you enjoyed this recipe so much. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Appreciate it very much.
Made this recipe last week. Was so delicious, everyone loved it. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Tyree. So happy you had success with this recipe and enjoyed it. Thank you so much for coming back to leave this feedback. Have a wonderful day.
Tried this two weeks back and everyone loved it. Was my first time to make Indian food at home. Definitely going to try more of your recipes. Thanks for making it so easy.
Thank you, Rena. So happy you have success with this recipe. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Have a wonderful day.
Loved this recipe. My family really enjoyed it. I do not have a slow cooker so I just made it on the stove top like you suggested. The smell when this is cooking is so incredible. I am definitely adding this to my family list of favorite recipes. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Thank you so much Aarohi. So happy to hear your family loved this recipe and it made it to their list of favorites. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Appreciate it very much
Such an awesome recipe. We loved this very much. It was so easy to make and the I had the whole house smelling of lamb masala all day.! Which made every one so impatient. I served it with your homemade naan which I also made for the first time and was a huge hit. Definitely my favorite recipes. Thank you so much for sharing
Thank you so much Pushpendra for your feedback. I am so happy to hear you loved the recipes so much. Always a great feeling people enjoy your food. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this feedback. Truly appreciate it.
Thank you for this recipe. I made this last weekend and everyone loved it. It was so easy to make and the gravy was so delicious with rice. Even the left overs were absolutely wonderful. Thank you for this awesome recipe. Will definitely be trying more recipes from you.
Thank you Kanpur. So happy to know you enjoyed this dish. It sure is one of our family favorites. Thank you for coming back to leave a feedback on this recipe. Appreciate it very much
I am so excited to have this for dinner tonight, I just got it in the crock pot, and can’t wait till I come back into a house full of delicious aroma! I used a goat shoulder cut from a goat that was a little more lean than preferred so I think this will be perfect for making it nice and tender. We love Indian food, but have been in a chicken tiki and sagg paneer rut. Now that we have lamb and goat in the freezer it is time to get adventurous! Thanks for your lovely blog!
Ah Thank you so much for the lovely comment Lauren. You made my day. I know what you mean about getting into the rut of the same and same. Been there.! Oh you are going to love the slow cooker and it sure does justice to dishes like these that call for long slow cooking. Thank you so much for taking the time to come write this feedback. Appreciate it very much.
*Update*
So, so amazing! 100% a new favorite. The meat was so tender, chewing was optional. It is just such a nice blend of seasonings that are things I have on hand but combined perfectly.
I saw in another comment that you make your own garam masala blend, do you have a recipe posted? We live in a very rural area so I usually order spices online, I would love to learn how to make it and tweak it to what we like.
Ah thank you so much Lauren for the update. So happy to see you enjoyed the recipe so much. Yes, I do make my own blend of garam masala. I use to have a post but that was deleted on a previous blog hack.!! So have to redo that post again. I don’t cook Indian regularly which means I need a small batch of garam masala to keep it fresh lol. I plan to redo that post soon. Thanks so much for your support.
We have similar food like this calls “rendang” ..with intents spices and full of flavor. İ should try this soon..
I love “Beef Randang” Elcitrakale! I use to eat it in Singapore and Malaysia. You will love this too.
I love using lamb in slow cookers, it really tenderizes the meat. Yours looks so yummy with all of those spices. Love this recipe:)
That is so true Tina. I love making beef and lamb in the slow cooker as it really tenderizes the meat.
What a delicious looking dish! My wife LOVES Indian food – I think I’m going to have to surprise her by making this. Thanks for the idea!
Thank you Jessica. I think she will love this if she loves Indian food. And its’ very easy to make so definitely a must try.
My husband would be in heaven to eat this dish, but he also would love to make it, since he loves all Indian dishes and he is very good with the use of the spices. As for me, I am vegetarian, but I can tell this lamb masala looks awesome!
Thank you Nicoletta. I’m happy to hear that. We love this in our home very much. An absolute treat.
Man, this is making my mouth water! I love lamb, but don’t eat it nearly as often as I would like
Thank you Karyl, This is super easy to make, you will love it.
YUM! Love Indian food. And love that this can be made in the slow cooker! Totally going to have to make this for dinner soon!
Thank you Christine. So happy to hear that. Love lamb masala and love slow cooker so it’s a big treat in out home
Oh you add fennel in your recipe! I don’t think I had lamb masala with fennel. There was a place in old manali who would make the most gorgeous tasting lamb masala that I have ever tasted, by the looks it reminds me of your lamb masala Veena 🙂
Thank you Helen. I am not usually a big fan of fennel except in some recipes. I love lamb masala and I use to love mutton masala. Happy to hear it bought back pleasant memories.
hmm. Today I learned the difference between mutton and lamb!
Happy to hear that Ben. Thanks
There’s nothing my husband loves more than lamb vindaloo, but now I need to try making lamb masala for him because this looks amazing! Especially with homemade naan 🙂
Oh absolutely amazing with homemade naan. Enjoy!
I love lamb so much, especially with Indian spices! So flavorful and delicious! Your meal looks so comforting and scrumptious!!
Thank you Elaine. This is definite comfort food Indian style. Love when the meat is fork tender like this.
im always so confused by mutton vs goat vs lamb too. thank you for this scrumptious recipe.
Thank you Dixya. Yes, it can be confusing.
It’s good to know that if I am ever in India and order mutton, I will be eating goat meat. I really like goat meat, and there’s an Mexican market that sells it near my home. If I were to use goat meat, should I also use shoulder meat, or is there another cut that works better. I love your recipes, and I’m very excited that this one can be prepared in the slow cooker.
Thank you Patii. It really depends on the size or age of the goat. Goats aren’t really huge so any cut works for this recipes, shoulder or legs. Its’ really delicious and you must try.
Hi Veena! This sounds absolutely fantastic and thanks for the explanation on the Indian mutton and goat. I am going to ask the next time I am at our local Indian restaurant. Thanks for sharing a great recipe! I am a huge fan of Indian food so much to that I make my own custom garam masala blend.
Thank you Analida. I do make my own garam masala too! Nothing like a perfect blend of your own choice of fresh spices.