Lal Maas is a bold, fiery meat curry from Rajasthan, India, traditionally made with mutton or goat. Its deep red color comes not from tomatoes, but from dried red chilies—originally the intensely hot mathania chilies native to the region.

The dish is slow-cooked in ghee with garlic, onions, and warming whole spices, creating a gravy that’s smoky, robust, and unapologetically spicy. Unlike many North Indian curries, Lal Maas is minimalist and rustic, letting the heat of the chilies and the richness of the meat shine.

Historically, it was a hunter’s dish, cooked over open fires after royal hunts, designed to preserve meat and deliver maximum flavor with simple ingredients. The result is a curry that’s intensely aromatic, deeply savory, and not for the faint of heart—best enjoyed with bajra roti or plain steamed rice to balance the heat. 🌶️🔥

This recipe is from Ranveer Brar.

Lal Maas (Rajasthani Red Meat Curry)

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Meat & Marinade
  • 2.2 lbs 1 kg bone-in mutton or lamb
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp ginger–garlic paste garlic-forward
  • Chilli Paste
  • 22 Mathania dried red chillies
  • Deseeded soaked in hot water overnight, and ground to a smooth paste
  • Substitute: Kashmiri dried red chillies for colour, flavour will vary
  • For Cooking
  • ½ cup ghee divided
  • 250 g onions thinly sliced
  • Whole Spices
  • 2 –3 cloves
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 1 black cardamom
  • Yogurt & Spice Mix
  • 200 g plain yogurt
  • 1½ tbsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 2 tbsp mustard oil

Method
 

  1. Marinate the Meat
  2. In a bowl, mix the mutton with salt and ginger–garlic paste.
  3. Cover and marinate for 1 hour (or overnight for deeper flavour).
  4. Prepare the Chilli Paste
  5. Deseed the Mathania chillies, soak in hot water overnight, then grind into a smooth paste. Set aside.
  6. Heat the Ghee & Bloom Spices
  7. Heat ¼ cup ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan.
  8. Add cloves, peppercorns, green cardamom, and black cardamom. Let them bloom until aromatic.
  9. Cook the Onions
  10. Add sliced onions and cook on medium heat until they sweat and soften.
  11. Add the remaining ¼ cup ghee and continue cooking until the onions turn mushy.
  12. Add the Meat
  13. Add the marinated meat and sauté for 5–10 minutes, allowing it to pick up some colour.
  14. Add Chilli Paste
  15. Stir in the prepared chilli paste. Adjust salt if needed.
  16. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  17. Prepare Yogurt Mixture
  18. In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, coriander powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, and mustard oil.
  19. Finish Cooking
  20. Add the yogurt mixture to the pot and mix well.
  21. Cover and cook for another 20–30 minutes, until the meat is tender and the oil separates and floats to the top.
  22. Serve
  23. Serve hot with bajra roti or plain steamed rice.