Green Mutton Curry: A Fragrant, Slow-Cooked Recipe

Green mutton curry is a South Asian-style dish of bone-in goat or lamb simmered until tender in a vivid, herb-rich gravy made with cilantro, mint, spinach, and warm spices. The greens bring freshness while browned onions, yogurt, and a slow braise give the sauce depth; regional and family versions vary in their herbs, heat, and spices.

Ingredients

2 lb (900 g) bone-in mutton, goat, or lamb, cut into roughly 1½- to 2-inch (4- to 5-cm) pieces
2 cups (30 g) loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems, rinsed and dried
1 cup (20 g) loosely packed mint leaves, rinsed and dried
2 cups (60 g) baby spinach, rinsed and dried
2 medium green chilies (about 10 g), stemmed; use 1 for a milder curry
1½ tbsp (22 g) peeled, roughly chopped fresh ginger
1½ tbsp (13 g) peeled garlic cloves, roughly chopped
½ cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil or ghee, divided
2 medium yellow onions (about 300 g), finely chopped
1 tsp (2 g) cumin seeds
1 small cinnamon stick (about 5 cm/2 inches)
4 green cardamom pods, lightly cracked
4 whole cloves
1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
½ tsp (1 g) ground turmeric
1 tsp (6 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
2½ cups (600 ml) hot water, plus a little more if needed
1 tsp (2 g) garam masala
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Instructions

Make the green paste. Put the cilantro, mint, spinach, green chilies, ginger, and garlic in a blender with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water. Blend until mostly smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add another tablespoon of water only if necessary to get the blades moving; a thick paste is easier to fry without splattering. Set aside. Pat the meat dry with paper towels so it browns rather than steams.
Brown the meat. Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the oil or ghee in a heavy, lidded pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches so the pieces have room, brown the mutton on several sides, about 8 to 10 minutes total per batch. Transfer it to a plate. If the pot looks dry between batches, add a small splash of oil. Browning in batches may take a few minutes longer, but crowding the pot makes it difficult to build color.
Cook the onions and whole spices. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil. Add the cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves; stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the onions and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden at the edges. If browned bits cling to the pot, stir in a tablespoon of water and scrape them up.
Toast the powdered spices. Stir in the ground coriander, turmeric, and salt. Cook for about 30 seconds, then return the browned meat and any juices to the pot. Turn the pieces to coat them in the onion and spice mixture.
Add yogurt and begin the braise. Lower the heat. Stir a spoonful of the hot onion mixture into the room-temperature yogurt, then stir that warmed yogurt into the pot a little at a time. This tempering helps reduce the chance of curdling. Pour in the hot water and bring the liquid just to a gentle simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring every 25 to 30 minutes. Keep the simmer gentle, not vigorous; add a little hot water if the pot is getting dry. The meat should become very tender, though some cuts may need extra time.
Check the meat and add the green paste. Check a thick piece with an instant-read thermometer, placing the probe in the meat without touching bone: USDA FSIS lists 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest as the safe minimum for whole cuts of lamb and goat. For this braise, continue cooking beyond that point until the meat is fork-tender. Stir in the green paste, bring the curry back to a gentle simmer, and cook uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. The herbs should stay green and fragrant rather than being cooked for a long time.
Finish and rest. Stir in the garam masala and lemon juice. Taste the gravy and adjust the salt or lemon. If it is too thick, add a splash of hot water; if it is thinner than you like, simmer uncovered for a few more minutes. Turn off the heat and let the curry rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving. Remove the cinnamon stick and whole cloves if you find them while serving.

Tips

Choose a braising cut. Bone-in shoulder, neck, or shank pieces give the gravy savory depth and become tender with slow cooking. Ask the butcher for curry-cut goat or lamb pieces if available. Boneless shoulder can work, but check it earlier because smaller pieces may cook faster.
Keep the herb paste fresh. Dry washed herbs well so the paste is not watery. Add the paste near the end of cooking; frying or simmering it for the entire braise dulls its color and fresh flavor. If your blender struggles, add water a teaspoon at a time rather than thinning it too much.
Control the heat and texture. Green chilies vary considerably in strength, so start with one if you are unsure. If the yogurt separates slightly, the curry is still usable; stir gently and avoid a hard boil. Full-fat yogurt at room temperature is less prone to splitting than cold, low-fat yogurt.
Adjust the herbs or dairy thoughtfully. If mint is hard to find, replace it with more cilantro; the curry will be less cool and minty but still flavorful. For a dairy-free version, omit the yogurt and add ¼ cup (60 ml) water or unsweetened coconut milk instead; coconut milk makes the gravy rounder and less tangy.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the curry hot with basmati rice, naan, roti, or another flatbread for catching the green gravy. A bowl of plain yogurt or raita, sliced cucumber, and lemon wedges make useful cooling accompaniments, especially if the chilies are assertive. For a fuller meal, add a simple dal or a lightly dressed salad of onion, cucumber, and tomato. Because the mutton and sauce are rich, keep side dishes relatively simple and let the herbs remain the focus.

Before serving, stir the sauce so the greens and cooking juices are evenly distributed. Offer the meat on the bone with a spoon for the gravy, or remove the bones at the table. If serving family-style, warn guests that the whole spices are for flavor and should not be eaten.

Variations

More spinach-forward: Replace half the cilantro with another 1 cup (30 g) spinach. The gravy will taste milder and look less sharply herbal. For a deeper green color, blanch the extra spinach for 30 seconds, cool it promptly, and blend it with the other greens.

More minty and bright: Increase the mint to 1½ cups (30 g) and reduce the spinach to 1 cup (30 g). Keep the cilantro amount the same. Use this balance if you enjoy a pronounced mint aroma, but avoid adding lots of mint at once because it can dominate the other herbs.

Make it hotter: Blend in an additional green chili or serve sliced chilies at the table. Adding chili near the end gives a sharper heat; adding it to the paste lets the flavor meld into the gravy. For a milder pot, remove the seeds and membranes from the chilies before blending.

Use a pressure cooker: Brown the meat and onions using the cooker’s sauté function, then add the yogurt and water. Cook under high pressure according to your appliance’s instructions for bone-in goat or lamb, then allow a natural release before opening. Meat size, cooker model, and cut change the timing, so use tenderness—not a guessed pressure time—as the guide. Add the green paste after pressure cooking and simmer uncovered for about 8 minutes.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the curry promptly and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking, in a covered shallow container. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. The green color may darken as it sits, but the flavors often meld; stir the sauce before reheating. For longer storage, freeze in meal-size airtight containers for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator rather than on the counter.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat, on the stovetop over low to medium-low heat with a splash of water, stirring gently until evenly hot. You can also microwave it in a covered microwave-safe dish, stirring partway through. USDA FSIS recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F (74°C); check the center with a food thermometer. Avoid repeatedly warming and cooling the full pot, which can dry out the meat and makes safe temperature control harder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is mutton the same as lamb or goat? Usage depends on the market and region. In some South Asian cooking, “mutton” commonly refers to goat, while elsewhere it may mean mature sheep; lamb is meat from a younger sheep. This recipe works with bone-in goat or lamb sold for braising. Ask your butcher which animal and cut you are buying, since tougher pieces may need more simmering time.

Can I make green mutton curry without a blender? Yes. Finely chop the cilantro, mint, spinach, chilies, ginger, and garlic by hand, or pound them in a mortar and pestle in batches. The sauce will have a more textured, rustic appearance rather than a smooth green gravy. A small food processor also works, though you may need to scrape its bowl several times.

Why is my mutton still tough after the stated braising time? Toughness usually means the connective tissue needs more time, not that the meat should be cooked at a higher temperature. Keep the pot covered at a gentle simmer and check every 15 to 20 minutes, adding hot water if the liquid is low. The exact time depends on the animal, cut, piece size, and age of the meat; it is ready when a fork slides in easily.

Can I prepare the curry ahead? Yes. You can make it a day ahead, cool it promptly, and refrigerate it. Reheat gently to 165°F (74°C), stirring and adding a little water if the gravy has thickened. For a fresher herb aroma, reserve a small spoonful of the green paste before cooking and stir it in during the final minute of reheating; keep the reserved paste refrigerated and use it within a day.

Can I use frozen spinach or dried herbs? Frozen spinach can replace the fresh spinach; thaw it and squeeze out excess water, then blend it with the other greens. Fresh cilantro and mint are important to the curry’s bright flavor, so dried versions are not a close substitute. If fresh mint is unavailable, use additional cilantro and a little lemon at the finish rather than dried mint.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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