Description
This Slow Cooker Pulled Lamb Indian Style recipe offers a rich, aromatic, and tender lamb shoulder slow-cooked with a blend of traditional Indian spices. Infused with star anise, cloves, cinnamon, and more, it delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort—perfect for a hearty family meal or entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Spices
- 1 star anise
- 6 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp black cumin seeds
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 6 black peppercorns
- 2 tsp ground coriander (coriander powder)
- 1 tsp red chili powder
Meat and Aromatics
- 2 kg lamb shoulder
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 cm fresh ginger, sliced
- A handful of coriander (cilantro) leaves
Liquids and Oil
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 3 tsp oil
Instructions
- Prepare the spices: Combine the whole spices—star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, black cumin seeds, dried bay leaf, fennel seeds, and black peppercorns—in a dry skillet and toast over medium heat until aromatic, about 1-2 minutes. This step boosts the flavors that will infuse the lamb during slow cooking.
- Sear the lamb and aromatics: Heat the oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté until soft and starting to caramelize, about 5-7 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and sliced ginger; cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer the onion, garlic, and ginger mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add lamb and dry spices: Brown the lamb shoulder in the hot skillet on all sides for 4-5 minutes to lock in the flavors, then place the lamb on top of the aromatics in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the ground coriander and red chili powder over the lamb evenly.
- Add toasted whole spices and stock: Add the toasted whole spices to the slow cooker along with the chicken stock. This liquid will help the lamb cook slowly, keeping it moist and tender.
- Slow cook the lamb: Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until the lamb is tender and easily falls apart when pulled with forks.
- Shred the lamb: Once cooked, remove the lamb from the slow cooker, shred it thoroughly using two forks, then return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid. Stir well so the meat absorbs all the rich flavors.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle freshly chopped coriander leaves over the pulled lamb before serving. Serve with rice, naan, or your choice of side dishes.
Notes
- Maximum flavor, minimum effort! This recipe is perfect for slow cooking any meat Indian style.
- For extra heat, increase the red chili powder or add fresh green chilies.
- Using chicken stock enhances the richness, but vegetable stock can be substituted for a lighter option.
- Make sure to brown the lamb well for depth of flavor.
- The leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 333 g
- Calories: 415 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 130 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 69 g
- Cholesterol: 215 mg
