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Kashmiri Dry Lamb

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 This Kashmiri Dry Lamb has a wonderful flavour; it is succulent with a crispy exterior.

Lamb in a skillet

This recipe for Kashmiri Dry Lamb, was given to me by my mother, who received it many years ago, from a wonderful lady from one of the old households of Kashmir. It was one of her family recipes, passed down through several generations.

This dish is incredibly easy to make, and very popular!

close up of lamb in cast iron skillet

The incredibly beautiful region of Kashmir remains divided between three countries; India, Pakistan and China. The cuisine is influenced by three main cooking styles: that of the Kashmiri Pandits (the only remaining Hindu community native to the Kashmiri Valley in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir), the Muslims and the more ancient style of the Mughals.

Kashmiri cuisine

The economy is centred around agriculture, so the cuisine is rich in flavour and diversity. Warm spices such as cardamom, cloves and cinnamon are commonly used, as are fragrant ones such as fennel seeds and saffron. The famous Kashmiri red chillies are a great deal less pungent than other varieties, but add a great depth of taste. A great deal of meat is consumed too, in particular, slow cooked meats, which are often cooked in yoghurt or milk.

Cook’s tips

In Kashmir, dishes are usually cooked in Ghee (clarified butter) which adds to the rich flavours. (I have used sunflower oil here, but you could substitute with ghee).

The original recipe for dry Kashmiri lamb uses mutton, but I prefer to use lamb. Read more about the difference between mutton lamb and goat meat in this article .

I used a leg of lamb cut into small pieces – some pieces are boneless and some on the bone.

The delicious, succulent lamb is aromatically spiced here and has a beautifully crisp browned exterior. The buttermilk tenderizes the meat so it is soft as butter and remains moist after cooking.

This is a dry meat dish rather than with a sauce, so it should be cooked till there is no more liquid in the pan.

How to make Kashmiri dry lamb

  1. Lightly fry the onions till golden brown, and set aside.
  2. In a large pan, combine the rest of the ingredients (excluding the fresh cilantro/coriander), and simmer on a medium to low heat till all the liquid has evaporated.
  3. Remove the lamb and set aside.
  4. In the same pan, heat some oil and return the pieces of lamb to the pan to brown.
  5. Remove from the pan and garnish with the onions and chopped cilantro/coriander.

Serve with warm bread and plain yogurt, or raita.

⭐️ Are you making this recipe? Do let me know how it turned out in the comments! And please give it a star rating below!

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Lamb in a skillet
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5 from 1 vote

Kashmiri Dry Lamb

This Kashmiri Dry Lamb has a wonderful flavour; it is succulent with a crispy exterior.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Total Time1 hr 10 mins
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Kashmiri dry lamb, Kashmiri recipe, lamb recipe
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 866kcal
Author: Nicole

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • sunflower oil for frying
  • 1 large onion finely sliced
  • 1 kg lamb leg of lamb or lamb shoulder, cut into small pieces
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 5 cloves
  • 4 green cardamoms whole and crushed
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon ground fennel
  • 2 whole green chillies broken in half
  • 2 whole Kashmiri red chillies or 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
  • coarse sea salt to taste

for the garnish

  • 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
  • 2 medium white onions finely sliced
  • fresh cilantro/coriander a few sprigs

Instructions

  • In a large frying pan over medium heat, add a tablespoon of oil and sauté the sliced onions. Once golden brown, remove from the pan and set aside.
  • In a large heavy saucepan, combine the rest of the ingredients, including the lamb (excluding from the cilantro/coriander), and simmer on medium to low heat till all the liquid has evaporated (approx. 45 minutes-1 hour). Remove the lamb.
  • In the same pan, heat at least 2 cms of oil on medium-high heat, reducing to medium-low, and fry the lamb pieces until well browned all over (approx 8 minutes in total). Transfer the lamb to absorbent paper to drain the excess oil.
  • Garnish with the onions and chopped cilantro/coriander.

Recipe Notes

  • Use leg of lamb leg or shoulder, cut into small pieces.
  • This is a dry dish rather than one with gravy, so there should be no liquid left in the pan after cooking the lamb.
Nutrition Facts
Kashmiri Dry Lamb
Amount Per Serving
Calories 866 Calories from Fat 594
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 66g 102%
Saturated Fat 28g 140%
Cholesterol 195mg 65%
Sodium 284mg 12%
Potassium 936mg 27%
Total Carbohydrates 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Sugars 10g
Protein 47g 94%
Vitamin A 7%
Vitamin C 9.2%
Calcium 23.9%
Iron 31.2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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About Nicole

Browse my site for traditional Indian & Italian recipes, read about great ingredients, and get handy tips for working in the kitchen. Also, check out my restaurant reviews for some great dining experiences!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  8. Lynne Curry

    Monday, 24 April, 2017 at 5:22 pm

    Oh, this technique is so amazing! It’s one I haven’t used in quite a while, but the braising in buttermilk followed by frying in oil somehow magnifies all of the flavors of the spices. Wonderful to have such a succulent recipe handed down to you. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  12. The FoodOlic

    Saturday, 22 April, 2017 at 12:50 pm

    Kashmir is dispute by many but it also sounds like a nice melting pot of flavors from all those surrounding countries. The recipe sounds nicely seasoned and I love that the meat is crunchy yet moist! Love to learn about different cultures and their food! Great post!

    Reply

  14. Lynn | The Road to Honey

    Thursday, 20 April, 2017 at 10:05 pm

    This sure does look tasty. My hubby is Persian and he always has a craving for lamb. I’m pretty sure he would be excited to see this beauty show up on the dinner table.

    Reply

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