Railway Dhabba Lamb Curry
The kind of curry that's been simmering in a battered pot on a platform kitchen somewhere between Jaipur and Jodhpur since dawn. Lamb shoulder, proper spicing, ghee, and patience. No cream, no almonds, no shortcuts. This is not a British curry house curry. It's better.
Ingredients
Makes 6 portions
- 1.00 kg lamb shoulder, diced , bone-in gives more flavour
- 3.00 tablespoon ghee
- 3.00 piece(s) onions, sliced thin
- 1.00 piece(s) fresh ginger, grated
- 8.00 clove(s) garlic cloves, crushed to a paste
- 4.00 piece(s) green chillies, slit lengthways , seeds in
- 1.00 tin(s) tinned chopped tomatoes
- 1.00 bunch fresh coriander , stalks chopped into the curry, leaves for finishing
- 1.00 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1.00 tablespoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
- 2.00 piece(s) black cardamom pods, bashed open
- 4.00 piece(s) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1.00 piece(s) cinnamon stick, snapped in half
- 4.00 piece(s) cloves
- 2.00 piece(s) bay leaves
- 6.00 piece(s) black peppercorns
- 2.00 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1.00 tablespoon cumin powder
- 2.00 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder , for colour and fruity heat
- 1.00 teaspoon chilli powder , for actual heat
- 1.00 teaspoon turmeric
- 1.00 tablespoon garam masala , added at the END
Per portion
Method
-
1
Heat ghee in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon, both cardamoms, bay leaves and peppercorns. Let them sizzle and pop for 60 seconds until the kitchen smells incredible.
⏱ About 2 mins
💡 If the cumin seeds are dancing in the oil, the temperature is right.
-
2
Add the sliced onions and a good pinch of salt. Cook on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until deep dark golden brown. This takes 20 minutes minimum. They should be the colour of caramel.
⏱ About 20 mins
💡 This is the single most important step. Pale onions make a pale, flavourless curry. Don't turn the heat up to rush it.
-
3
Add the grated ginger, crushed garlic, slit green chillies and chopped coriander stalks. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes.
⏱ About 3 mins
-
4
Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, Kashmiri chilli, regular chilli powder and turmeric. Stir into the onion mixture and cook for 2 minutes. Add a splash of water if it starts sticking.
⏱ About 2 mins
💡 The spices need to hit the hot oil and onions to release their flavour. If you dump them in with the liquid they'll taste dusty.
-
5
Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the lamb and stir to coat every piece in the spice mixture. Brown for 5 minutes.
⏱ About 5 mins
💡 Do this in batches if your pot isn't big enough.
-
6
Pour in the tinned tomatoes and about 200ml water. Scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the spice and onion stuck to it. Bring to a boil.
⏱ About 2 mins
-
7
Turn to the lowest heat possible, lid slightly ajar. Leave for 2-2.5 hours. Check every 30 minutes and add a splash of water if needed. The lamb should be falling apart and the gravy thick and dark with ghee-coloured oil on top.
⏱ About 150 mins
💡 Slow cooker works brilliantly — do steps 1-6 on the hob then transfer. Low for 7-8 hours.
-
8
Take off the heat. Stir in the garam masala, put the lid on, and let it sit for 5 minutes. The residual heat releases the fragrance without cooking it out. Scatter fresh coriander leaves on top.
⏱ About 5 mins
💡 Garam masala always goes in at the end. Cook it for ages and it loses everything that makes it special.
📦 Batch Cooking Guide
Storage
Fridge 4 days. Freezes for 3 months. Genuinely better the next day — the spices keep developing overnight.
Reheating
Low heat on the hob with a splash of water. Finish with another small pinch of garam masala to refresh the aroma.
Serving ideas through the week
Day 1: With cauliflower rice and a green chilli on the side. Day 3: With a dollop of full fat yoghurt and sliced raw onion. Day 5: Straight from the pot, standing up, no shame.
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