Korma is a type of mild, creamy sauce thickened with ground nuts and seasoned with raisins.  This braised korma lamb stew is wonderful served over a bed of steamed rice.

Serves-4
Ingredients
2 lbs lamb shanks or cubed or mutton, external fat trimmed
1 black cardamom
Salt, to taste, plus 1 Tbs. salt
4 Tbs. ghee, plus more if needed
1.5 lb. yellow onions, diced
1/4 cup peeled garlic cloves
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh ginger
6 Tbs. Ajika Korma Spices
2-3 tbs. tomato puree or 6 sun-dried tomato or 6 ripe tomatoes chopped
Zest and juice of 1 orange (optional)
1 lb. carrots, peeled and coarsely diced
1 potato cubed
1 cup yogurt 

Method:
In a deep sauté pan, heat 2 Tbs. of ghee to nearly smoking. Working in batches, brown the shanks and black cardamom, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter.

Add the remaining 2 Tbs. ghee, heat ghee and then add the onions and garlic to the pan and sauté, stirring, until the onions are tender and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, 1 Tbs. salt, korma spices. Sauté, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes more. Add the tomatoes,  orange zest and orange juice and stir to mix well. Submerge the shanks in the liquid and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on medium low until the meat nearly falls off the bone, about 2 hours. Towards the end of cooking add the carrots and potato and yogurt into the stew, cover and cook till vegetables are tender and the meat falls off the bone. .

© Kavita Mehta
photo credit Kavita and Vinay Mehta