Instant Pot Lamb Curry

This instant pot lamb curry is fork-tender meat pressure-cooked with easy-to-find Indian spices like curry powder and garam masala. It can also be cooked in a stovetop pressure cooker. Perfect to serve over rice, chapati, or naan for a complete meal.

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One of my most vivid childhood memories is watching my mom work her magic with the pressure cooker, transforming tough cuts of red meat into tender, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. The sound of steam hissing and the comforting aroma of simmering meat filled the kitchen, signaling that something delicious was in the works.

Inspired by my mom’s culinary prowess, I followed in her footsteps and recreated her recipe using my trusty Instant Pot. With her guidance and a few modern conveniences, I embarked on my journey toward pressure-cooking perfection.

With each bite of that tender, flavorful meat, I felt a deep connection to my mom and the culinary traditions she had passed down to me. Replicating her recipe using the Instant Pot was a delicious success and a heartfelt tribute to the woman who had inspired my love of cooking.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Lamb – I prefer to use a lamb shoulder or leg for this dish. The meat does take longer to cook, but it comes out tender and juicy and absorbs all those wonderful spices.
• Onions – I love to use a combination of brown and red onions. Red adds a bit of sweetness, which is very desirable. Also, it is very important that you cook the onions longer and more slowly. This will help caramelize the onions, enhancing the flavor and adding a touch of deep red color to this dish (which I love).
• Curry powder – This is a very easy-to-find Indian spice in most supermarkets. But you can also make your own (using spices you probably already have in your pantry).
• Garam masala – Another Indian spice mix made with warm spices such as cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, etc. It can be easily found in most supermarkets. And you can also make this at home.

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Step-by-step: Lamb curry – Instant pot/Pressure cooker

• Turn the Instant Pot on saute. Or, heat the stovetop pressure cooker on medium heat. Add the oil and whole spices. Sauté for 30 seconds. This will flavor the oil with warm spices.

• Sauté onions – Then, add the onions. Sauté until the onions are reduced to almost half. Next, add the ginger and garlic – saute for another minute. Then, add the curry powder, paprika, and garam masala.

• Cook the spices for 2 minutes, adding the crushed tomatoes a little at a time.
• Lamb – Add the lamb pieces and coat them well with the spices. Then, add the cilantro, lemon juice, and coconut milk. Followed by the chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper.

• Pressure cook
  • Instant Pot – Turn the saute off. Close and lock the Instant Pot lid. Then, seal the pot and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 25 minutes.
  • Stovetop pressure cooker – Close the pressure cooker and cook for 45 minutes.
• Natural release – When done, turn off and let natural release for 10 minutes. Open the Instant Pot. Taste and adjust seasoning
• Adjust gravy – Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil for more gravy. Alternatively, if there is too much gravy, remove the lamb pieces in a separate dish and continue to cook the sauce until it has been reduced to half. Then, return the lamb pieces to the pot.
  Pro tip – Keep it thick if you serve it with chapati, naan, or roti. If you serve it with rice, add a little water to make a gravy.
• Garnish with more chopped cilantro leaves.

Stovetop lamb curry

• Follow the same process as above, but use a stovetop pan or Dutch oven. Then, instead of pressure-cooking, continue cooking on medium heat for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the lamb is cooked through.
  Pro tip – A good sign that the curry is ready is that the fat (oil and lamb fat) will be visible on top of the curry.

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Frequently asked questions

• Chickpeas Curry – Channa Masala
• Slow Cooker Indian Chicken Curry Recipe
• Quick Chicken Curry – just 6 ingredients
• See all Indian recipes

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