Lamb Madras
The BIR lamb madras: pre-cooked lamb in a hot, dark gravy of tomato, chilli, garlic and curry powder.
Overview
A classic British curry-house madras with a sweet-and-sour profile, featuring tender lamb in a spicy, tangy sauce. This version balances heat from chillies and chilli powder with mango chutney and lime for a feast-worthy dish.
Ingredients
Base
- 3 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil or seasoned oil
- 2-4 Kashmiri dried red chillies, to taste
- A few green cardamom pods, lightly bruised
Aromatics and spices
- 3 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
- 2 fresh green chillies, or to taste, finely chopped
- 125 ml (½ cup) tomato purée
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1-2 tbsp chilli powder, to taste
- 2 tbsp Mixed Powder
Sauce and protein
- 500 ml Curry Base Gravy
- 750 g Pre-cooked Lamb
- 200 ml (generous ¾ cup) Lamb stock (or stock from Pre-cooked Lamb)
Finishers
- 1-2 tbsp smooth mango chutney, to taste
- 1 lime (juice)
- Salt, to taste
- Pinch of Garam Masala
- Coriander (cilantro), to garnish
Method
Stage 1 - Temper spices
- Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Add dried chillies and cardamom pods; sizzle 30 seconds.
- Add garlic and ginger paste with chopped chillies; sizzle 20 seconds.
Stage 2 - Build spice base
- Stir in tomato purée, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli powder, and mixed powder.
Stage 3 - Add sauce and lamb
- Add 250 ml (1 cup) base curry sauce and lamb; simmer 2 minutes, scraping caramelized bits.
- Add remaining base sauce and stock; simmer until reduced to desired consistency.
Stage 4 - Finish
- Stir in mango chutney and lime juice.
- Season with salt, sprinkle garam masala, and garnish with coriander.
Notes
- Madras is traditionally spicier than milder curries; adjust chillies and chilli powder to taste.
- For a more savoury twist, substitute spicy lime pickle for mango chutney.
- Remove whole spices like cardamom if preferred.
Serving
- Serve with steamed basmati rice, naan, or chapati.
- Accompany with kachumber salad and raita.
Storage
- Refrigerate 2-3 days in an airtight container.
- Freeze up to 2 months; thaw fully before reheating.
- Reheat gently on low heat with a splash of stock or water.
- Best eaten within 24 hours for peak flavour.
Recipes mentioned here
Lamb Madras
Hot, sharp curry inspired by the cooking of southern India. Reduced tomato base with a heavy dose of chilli powder, mustard seeds, curry leaves and tamarind. Sharper than a vindaloo (no vinegar) but in the same heat range; finished with lime juice and a spoon of mango chutney for sweet contrast.
Mango Chutney
This is the foundational chutney of Indian kitchens. Unripe green mangoes, simmered slowly with sugar and vinegar in a gentle spice base, transformed into a thick, concentrated condiment. The sweet and sour balance allows the mango's subtle character to shine. This is shelf-stable and improves with age; make it in batches and keep jars on hand year-round.
Mango Chutney
A delicate, fruity preserve balanced with warm spice notes and bright acidity. This mango chutney captures the sweetness of ripe fruit while nigella seeds and warm spices provide intricate flavour layers perfect alongside curries, game, and cheese selections.
More like this
Lamb Achari
A Punjabi-inspired achari curry featuring pickle spices like panch poran and dried chillies, balanced with sweet mango chutney and tangy lime pickle. This dish captures the essence of Indian pickles in a rich, flavorful lamb curry.
Lamb Bhuna
A restaurant-style bhuna using pre-cooked lamb for speed, while keeping the dry, intensely-flavoured finish. The classic bhuna technique is approximated with quick spice frying, and lamb is finished in a rich, reduced sauce.
Lamb Madras
Hot, sharp curry inspired by the cooking of southern India. Reduced tomato base with a heavy dose of chilli powder, mustard seeds, curry leaves and tamarind. Sharper than a vindaloo (no vinegar) but in the same heat range; finished with lime juice and a spoon of mango chutney for sweet contrast.
Lamb Vindaloo
A fiery British curry-house vindaloo with Portuguese-Goan influences, featuring intense heat from Scotch bonnets and chillies, balanced by vinegar and sweetness. This version uses pre-cooked lamb for speed, with optional potatoes as per UK tradition.