Lamb Bhuna
Lamb in a Deep Rich Sauce
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Heat
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Serves
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Dietary Info
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Prep 5 mins
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Cook 1 hr 5 mins
A Bhuna is all about the style of cooking rather than the ingredients.
Hari says
This is an intensely flavoured dish that’s slow cooked until the meat is tender and becomes infused with a selection of spices - healthy as well as hearty.
The meat is then fried on a high heat to reduce or 'bhun' it so that it intensifies in flavour. This also creates a richly spiced sauce that clings lovingly to the chunks of meat.
To get the spices for my Bhuna, check out my curry kit here.Top Tip:
If you haven’t got the time to make this in the evening, then you can slow cook it so it’s ready when you get in.
- Ingredients
- Method
- 900g leg of lamb or mutton, trimmed and chopped
Spice Blend
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- 2-3 dried chilli
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
Masala
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 20 curry leaves
- 4cm ginger, grated
- 400g / 1 tin plum tomatoes
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garam masala
- Handful coriander, chopped
Method
- Heat a frying pan and add the cumin seeds, coriander, mustard, fennel, fenugreek seeds, and two or three dried chillies. Keep the spices moving for a minute or two until they go a shade darker. Empty the spices into a bowl and let them cool before grinding to a fine powder in a coffee grinder or with a pestle and mortar. Leave to one side.
- Heat oil and add onions in a large pan, after a few minutes add the garlic.
- Once they have browned add the curry leaves, with the ginger, tomatoes and salt. Cook until the tomatoes break down creating a thick paste.
- Add the roasted spice mix and turmeric to the pan and stir well. Cook for a minute or two, taking care not to let the sauce catch on the bottom of the pan. If it does, add a splash of water and quickly stir.
- Place the meat in the pan and stir to coat then cook for five minutes. Reduce the heat and put a lid on the pan and cook on a very gentle heat for about 30-40 minutes (longer if using mutton). Check that the meat is tender. If it isn't, leave it for a while longer.
- When the meat is ready, remove the lid from the pan and turn up the heat and fry to reduce the sauce until it almost disappears. The aim is to create a dry, concentrated sauce that clings tightly to the tender meat.
- Finish with a sprinkle of garam masala and a handful of chopped fresh coriander.
Served with
I love this dish with lots of rotis or some garlic naan.
Nutritional information
| Typical values* | per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 98 |
| Fat (g) | 4.9 |
| of which saturates (g) | 2.0 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 2.4 |
| of which sugars (g) | 1.6 |
| Fibre (g) | 0.5 |
| Protein (g) | 12 |
| Salt (mg) | 0.53 |
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“ Thank you for printing this recipe for my delicious Lamb Bhuna ”
Comments
Comments (66)
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Hari Ghotra
Hi Scott Sounds like a great addition! Do take pictures and post them in the app!
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Peter de Bretteville
I just made your curry butternut squash soup. It was easy and delicious. The oven time for the squash was considerably more than 35 minutes...-
Hari Ghotra
Hey Peter It can vary depending on size and time of year - but I hope you enjoyed it anyway!
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Anders Svensson
Hi Hari! Thank you for your lovely friday session! It's totaly inspiring and I love the 'atmosphere' :) I hope you will continue with these sessions for ...ever :)-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Anders Amazing to have you join me! So thrilled that you loved joining us will you be joining this Friday too? Thanks Hari
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D Young
Hi Hari, we cooked this yesterday, it was absolutely phenomenal. I hate being one of those people who changes recipes, but we had a leg of lamb that we ordered for Easter that wouldn't last. So we removed the meat from the bone, froze half and used the remaining 800grams in your recipe. We did the recipe as written for the sauce - doubled - but when the lamb was due to be added, we added the bones from the leg and cooked from noon until dinner time. The sauce slowly thickened and the bones slowly gave up all of the last bits of meat. Then we browned the lamb in a separate pan, added to the reduced sauce, and cooked for 40 more minutes on low. The lamb was perfectly tender and the sauce was thick and covered the lamb (but with enough extra to slather on some naan). Thanks for making such a great resource available.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi So great to hear from you - Thanks so much for giving it a go. i am a total advocate for low and slow cooking and it sounds like you nailed it. Did you take any pictures? Id love to see if you could post them on my free app? Thanks for trying the recipe! Hari
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Nigel
Hi Hari
Made this, thank you so much. One minor issue was that there was a very slight overtone of bitterness. I was fairly certain that this was not due to the spices being burnt. Could it have been the fenugreek seeds?-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Nigel it was most definitely the fenugreek you probably needed to cook it down longer at the bhuna stage at the end or you you could reduce the amount you add. I hope that helps Hari
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Peter Gibson
I only have dried curry leaves. Should I just use more than 30 or do I really need fresh leaves?-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Peter Dry is fine yes 20-30 will be fine!! Enjoy!
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Emma Kershaw
Hi thanks for your reply. I am more worried about the rice being mushy than bacteria. I won't be able to cook to order everything has to be done in advance and reheat. I wonder about replacing the basmati with cauliflower rice instead, do you think a cauliflower rice style mushroom biryani would work with the bhuna? Many thanks Emma-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Emma If you are worried then cauli rice will be fine and a mushroom style biryani would be great with a bhuna! Please take pictures and share with me. Thanks Hari
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Emma Kershaw
Hi I am planning on doing a large quantity of these for an event, bearing in mind that I will need to reheat what side would you recommend me to serve? Rice is risky and I am worried that the roti would reheat too crisp. Thanks-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Emma
Rice is only risky if you don't cool it down quickly and properly. Ideally cooking the rice fresh shouldn't take too much time if you can manage to do it. Naan will stay softer then roti and reheat better or you can add oil to your roti dough to keep the roti soft. Does this help? Hari
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jenna
hello
i'm keen to try this recipe but i have some beef suitable for slow cooking...would be work well with this one? Thanks Jenna-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Jenna - Yes the perfect meat for this dish. Let me know how it turns out. Hari
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Han van de Braak
Dear Hari, this is the first recipe of yours that I tried out. I am a sexagenarian newbie to Indian cooking. The introductory video was very useful and your method advice is laid out clearly. This recipe was absolutely delicious and I didn’t miss the overnight marinating at all. Much looking forward to cooking other recipes of yours. Kind regards, Han.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Han - So thrilled to hear that you tried the dish without the marinating step and that you loved it! Thank so much for leaving a comment. Have you got my app yet - https://hari.is/2P5rXbk I'd love to see pictures of your dishes and you can post them in the app for us all to see. Many thanks Hari
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Andrew Cockburn
Hi Hari! I've been attempting to cook BIR food ever since I moved to the USA because I miss it so much. I just discovered your site and love the look of some of these lamb dishes. Could you tell me what size of pan you use in your videos, as I'd like to get one for stovetop cooking (I currently just use a large frying pan but it has no lid). Looks like maybe a 7 quart? I'll be sure to post pics via the app - thanks!-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Andrew sorry I missed your comment - I think we chatted about this on the app. Its a 24cm pan if that helps Thanks Hari
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Rosie
I would love to try this dish but where I live in Central Portugal curry leaves are hard to find. Is there anything I can use instead?-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Please see the response below - did it come through? Thanks
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Rosie
Would loved to try this dish but where I live in Portugal we cannot buy curry leaves, is there anything I can use as a substitute?-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Rosie It's just so great to see you using the website in Portugal. Curry leaves are fairly specific in the aromatics they release. Others suggest bay but if I am honest I would suggest just missing them out if you can't get hold of them. I do sell dried ones which you can order here https://www.harighotra.co.uk/shop/curry-leaves-for-sale and I will get it out to you asap. Once you cook it please do take a little picture and share it on my app as I (and the whole community) would love to hear your thoughts! Does that help? Thanks for getting in touch Hari
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Rupali Gleeson
Hi how would you slow cook this? Would you just put all ingredients in at the same time, spice mix and masala?-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Rupali You could do but if you have time i would suggest browning the onions first for a better flavour - ideally go to step 3 in a pan then transfer into the slow cooker and leave for 4-6 hours. Dont add too much water and you will get juice coming from the meat. Once cooked I would also 'bhun' it transfer to a pan on a high heat to reduce it down so the masala is clinging to the meat. Hope this helps - let me know how you get on. Thanks Hari
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Tracey
Thank you Hari for the advice. I will try the Keema recipe you suggest for the minced lamb. It all sounds lovely. Thank you -
Tracey
Hi Hari, I have previously used this recipe using chicken and loved it so much I bought lamb for making it on Boxing Day. It was delicious and the flavors complemented the lamb so much. I love how simple your recipes are to follow and your slow cooker book is great. It is rare I find lamb where I live in the USA but found some over Christmas. Would this recipe also work if I use minced lamb? Thank you-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Tracey Happy new year - my pleasure. It's great to hear that you are enjoying using the recipes. It would work with mince but I suggest cooking something like the keema recipe with mince. It is fairly simple but is beautifully delicious https://www.harighotra.co.uk/indian-recipes/courses/mains/keema Let me know what you think. Thanks Hari
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Dominique
Hi Hari,
If I were to slow cook this meal in a casserole dish with a leg of lamb, how long would you expect it to cook for? Also if I were to freeze it and reheat, would heating it up in the oven be ok?
Thanks, Dominique-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Dominique My recommendation is low and slow ie you could put it on at 100C for 6-8 hours. Yes its fine to freeze just make sure it full cooled down before freezing. To reheat - fully defrost and reheat so it is piping hot. Let me know how you get on. Thanks so much Hari
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Austin
Hi Hari, I may have missed this information but how long should I cook in a slow cooker if using mutton?-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Austin I would say at 8-10 hours on low to get the best results. I love mutton tell me how it comes out! Hari
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Tracey
Another beautiful recipe we used chicken instead of lamb. The taste and flavours were gorgeous. We thoroughly enjoyed it and again it was like eating at a restaurant with your recipe. Thank you Hari!-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Tracey thanks so much for your feedback. This spice mix is really good and i'm happy to hear that you enjoyed it too. So pleased that your husband is enjoying restaurant quality food at home - all compliments to the chef Tracey!! Thanks so much Hari
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Neil
HI are these kits available in the USA?-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Neil Yes we ship to the states. Put your order through and we will get them out to you asap. Thanks so much Hari
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anne
just made Bhuna with chicken, tastes absolutely lovely. this is always now my "go to" site☺☺-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Anne so happy to hear that! Glad you loved the bhuna and thank you for coming back to the site and leaving comments. Makes me very happy to hear the recipes are being enjoyed. Hari
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john
What type of dried chillies could I use, shop at tesco because it's easier and work alot don't have big choice of dried chillies would pasila, arbol or ancho chillies be any use or will they not give the right flavour? Thanks :D-
Hari Ghotra
Hi John For this dish I'm looking to add heat with the dried chillies. Personally I go for Kashmiri which are mild in flavour but are warming and have a lovely colour. From the ones listed you could go for either ancho but theses may be too mild and sometimes they can be a dark colour which will make your a darker color but arbol will add the heat and the colour. These can be fairly hot so just add 2 and see how you get on. Let me know how it comes out. Thanks for getting in touch Hari
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barry
At what stage would I add to slow cooker, and how long would I cook it for-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Barry I would add this to the slow cooker at stage 5 - It's probably advisable to add about 200ml of water to the dish too. Hope that helps - Please can you let me know how it turns out? Thanks Hari
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Dan
Another fantastic recipe Hari, so delicious! I used ground fenugreek, I assumed it was ground. Could you confirm?-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Dan Glad you enjoyed it. Yes ground fenugreek seed for this one rather than the herb. Glad you liked it - Don't forget to give the dish a star rating please. Thanks Hari
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Jon
Hi hari,
I have tried and failed numerous curry recipes but yours seems like the most straight forward and logical :). Before I go out and buy the seeds for the spice mix I already have most of them in ground form already, shall I use the same quantities if doing this?-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Jon
If you are cooking for 4-6 people I would probably reduce everything by 1tsp so rather then 2tsp of cumin use 1tsp. For the chilli if you like it hot leave the same amount. Make up the mix and hopefully your spices are still lovely and fragrant. I hope this helps - do let me know how it comes out. Thanks for leaving your comment and happy cooking. Hari
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Hari Ghotra
Hi Sandy Yes you certainly can a slow cooker is great for this dish. I can't wait to hear how you got on. Thanks Hari -
Sandy
HI Hari
Wondered would I be able to use lamb leg steaks for this recipie,and could it be cooked in a slow cooker ?
Have printed off lots of recipies as our family love a good curry, but the ones I have cooked previously have never lived up to expectations
Have yet to try one of yours, but looking forward to trying them1094 -
Hari Ghotra
Hi Nigel I'm so glad it was a success. Do let me know what you try next. Thanks for using the site. Hari -
Hari Ghotra
Hi Angela. It really does depend on the lamb and sometimes the cooking time can vary. However, in general leg will take about 30-40 minutes. I hope it didn't take to much longer and you enjoyed the final dish. Hari -
Nigel
Hello Hari,
I cooked this recipe using skinless bone-in chicken thighs as also suggested by you and the result was excellent. I am a great Bhuna fan and the taste of the sauce was deep and intensely satisfying.
Great site and I will definitely be cooking more of your recipes. -
Angela
Hi there
is the recipe wrong as it only says cook the meat for 30 mins. My meat has nearly had an hour and still is t tender. Lamb steaks -
Nicholas Young
Hi Hari!
Next up is your Nariyal Chicken - on the menu for tomorrow night! I think I will need a weekend to try my hand at the samosas - going to have a look for the pre-made samosa pastry you suggested. -
Hari Ghotra
Hi Nick That is brilliant to hear. So glad you are enjoying the site! What's on the menu next? -
Nicholas Young
Hi Hari!
I tried this recipe with chicken this week and it was amazing!! I think it's my favourite of your recipes so far!
My friend and I are making our way through your recipes and we have loved every one so far!! -
Esther
Hi Harri,
What cut of meat (lamb) would you choose for the slow cooker?
Would you cook it on the bone or diced?
Are the 900g lamb leg with bone or just the weight of the meat?
Thanks :) -
Hari
Hi
Yes you can but just be careful at on step 6 when you are thickening and reducing all the sauce away to intensify the flavours that the chicken doesn't break up. I would recommend you either use chicken on the bone or thigh fillets. Let me know how you get on. -
Nicholas Young
Hi Hari!
Would it be possible to use chicken instead of lamb? If so, would there be any consequential changes to the recipe? Thanks! -
Hari
Hi Jeanette
That Sounds like a challenge. I would recommend a chicken briyani which means you don't have to make a side of rice and it goes a long way, tamarind prawns and a karahi lamb. Or if you could do a chicken korma for the mild, a lamb madras for the hot and some masala prawns.
Let me know what you decide on I would love to hear how you get on. Good luck! -
Jeanette
Hi Hari I am cooking for twenty people I am going to cook three curries which ones would you suggest that would blend well together
I have Lamb Chicken and Prawns -
Chris Drew
Thanks Hari. -
Hari
Hi Chris
Probably about 4-5 medium sized ones. Depending on how juicy they are you might need a little splash of water too - hope that helps. Hari -
Chris Drew
Hello Hari, if I wanted to swap tinned tomatoes for fresh how many would you suggest? Thanks
Scott
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