Rogan Josh is a classical Indian non-veg curry made with lamb or mutton pieces. The lamb pieces are typically slow-cooked in a spicy gravy mixture, giving an exotic rich taste to the dish. The recipe I have shared here explains how to make a perfect Rogan Josh at home with easy step-by-step instructions. And I have also added a detailed video to make the cooking process easier. This lamb Rogan josh is an ultimate side dish for naan, roti, and most rice dishes such as white rice and basmati rice for lunch and dinner.
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What is Rogan Josh?
Rogan Josh is a traditional lamb curry that has its origin in Kashmiri cuisine. The term Rogan refers to Ghee and Josh to hot which literally means the meat cooked in hot ghee. This curry is either made with tender lamb or mutton pieces and flavored with Indian spices and herbs. In some versions, yogurt and onions are also added to flavor up the curry.
This lamb curry is one of the signature dishes of Kashmiri cuisine which is popular across the globe for its rich taste and flavor. It typically goes best with a bowl of rice, roti, or chapati for lunch, dinner, or special occasions.
Ingredients
The ingredients for making this rogan josh is pretty lengthy but that what makes this curry rich and flavorful. And you should easily find the ingredients in most Indian grocery stores and guess what most Indian spices are nowadays available in non-Indian grocery stores also. So let's see what we will need for this recipe.
- Lamb - Tender curry size cut lamb pieces or even mutton also works best for this curry. In India Mutton is mostly used so you can use what is handy to you. Usually, shoulder-cut pieces cook easily when slow-cooked in a pot.
- Indian Spices - For tempering use Indian whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, cumin and fennel seeds. Powders like Chili, turmeric, coriander and garam masala powder gives the traditional taste and flavor. But you can also use Indian curry powder to achieve similar results
- Yogurt - I have used yogurt to this lamb curry which gives a tangy flavor to the curry and it also mellow down the heat of the spices
- Oil/Ghee - I have used oil in this recipe since the mutton or lamb by themselves has a special aroma and taste. Personally, I dont like the over powering ghee taste in my lamb curry but you could always feel free to use it in your recipe
How to make Lamb Rogan Josh?
The recipe I have shared here is a slow-cooked Lamb rogan josh where you can also use mutton which gives a similar taste and flavor. I have used onion-tomato-yogurt-based gravy for making this lamb curry that gives a rich taste and flavor to the dish. And it is a popular version in most restaurants while the authentic Kashmiri style does not use onion, garlic, and tomatoes to make the curry. So let us see the cooking process below.
Process
To prepare lamb rogan josh, in a pan pour oil and temper the spices like cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, cumin, and fennel seeds. Tempering these ingredients gives a nice aroma to the dish. But make sure not to burn them which leaves a bitter taste in your curry.
After they are aromatic, add in the onion puree and saute until the raw aroma disappears. You can also thinly sliced onions instead of puree. Now add the ginger-garlic paste and saute until it turns fragrant.
Once they are fragrant, add in the tomatoes and tomato paste and saute until it turns soft. Now stir in the spice powders, salt and give a good mix. Mix all the masala well and add in the lamb or mutton pieces.
Now pour 2 cups of water and give a good mix. Check for salt and add if it is required. Close the pan with the lid and cook the meat gravy for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, open the lid and give a quick stir and close the lid again and cook for another 10 minutes.
After that time, open the lid and stir in the yogurt. Make sure to whisk the yogurt before adding them to the hot gravy. This helps to avoid curdling the curd.
Now add the fennel powder and coriander leaves and give a good mix. Simmer the heat and allow it to cook until it leaves oil from its sides. And now the delicious Lamb Rogan Josh is ready for you to taste and enjoy.
Tips
- Always choose a tender lamb or mutton pieces to make this rogan josh curry as the meat pieces cook soon compared to matured pieces
- Tempering the whole Indian spices gives an exotic rich flavor and taste to this lamb curry and make sure not to burn them which delivers a bitter flavor to the curry
- I haven't marinated the lamb pieces with masala or yogurt but you could marinate them overnight if you are not on a time crunch
- Make sure to whisk the yogurt before adding them to the hot gravy. This helps to avoid curdling of curd
- I have used onion and tomatoes to make this curry but if you would like to make authentic Kashmiri-style curry then feel free to skip these ingredients from the list
- I have slow-cooked this lamb rogan josh in a pot which gives an intensely rich flavor and taste to this dish. But you can also use a pressure cooker or instant pot to speed up the process
Storage Suggestions
This lamb rogan josh tastes great when served warm and they also stay good in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Even though I always prefer to serve and consume fresh, you could also freeze it for up to 1 month if you prefer. But make sure to pack in individual freezer-friendly containers and reheat only the portion you would like to enjoy.
Serving Suggestions
This lamb rogan josh tastes great with jeera rice, basmati rice, roti, naan, or paratha. You can also serve this lamb curry with other nonveg dishes, Biryani, and white rice, basmati rice or jasmine rice as a side dish.
Related Recipes
You could find more Lamb Recipes below and more at Non-Veg Curries
Look for more Nonveg curries to prepare for your next meal, then you might like the collection of Indian Chicken Dry and Semi Gravy Recipes to enjoy with your family and loved ones.
More Indian non-veg curry recipes you may be interested in:
Rogan Josh Recipe video
I have also shared a detailed video of this lamb rogan josh recipe that I hope will help you to make a tempting curry at home. For a quick reference, you could also find this recipe in story format.
📖 Recipe
Rogan Josh (Lamb Curry)
Ingredients
- 1¼ lb Lamb, or mutton
- 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 1 tsp Fennel Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Cinnamon Stick, small
- 4 Cloves
- 4 Cardamom
- 2 Bay leaves
- ½ tsp Peppercorn
- ½ cup Onions, puree
- 1 Tomato, diced
- 3 tsp Tomato puree, or paste
- ½ cup Yogurt, curd
- 1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 tsp Paprika , or kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- Salt, as needed
- ¼ cup Coriander Leaves, to garnish
- 2 cups Water
- ¼ cup Oil
Instructions
To Prepare Rogan Josh (Lamb Curry)
- In a pan with medium heat, add cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, cumin, and fennel seeds. Allow them to turn aromatic. Make sure not to burn them which completely changes the taste of the curry
- Now add the onion puree and saute until the raw aroma disappears
- Add ginger-garlic paste and stir until it turns aromatic
- Now add the diced tomatoes and puree and give a good mix. And allow it to turn soft. You can also skip the tomatoes and onions to make the traditional version of this curry
- Add salt, paprika, turmeric, chili, garam masala, and coriander powder, and give them a nice mix
- Now add in the curry size cut lamb or mutton pieces and mix them until all the masala coat evenly on them
- Pour 2 cups of water into the meat mixture and give a good mix
- Close the pan with the lid and cook the mixture for 20 minutes
- Open the lid and give a quick stir and again close and cook for another 10 minutes
- Now open the lid and stir in the yogurt to the lamb curry. Make sure to whisk the yogurt well before adding it to the hot curry which avoids the curdling process of the curd
- Add fennel powder, coriander, or cilantro leaves and mix well. Allow it to simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until it leaves oil from its sides. And now the delicious lamb rogan josh is ready for you to taste and enjoy
To Serve
- Serve this finger-licking Rogan Josh with basmati rice, naan, or paratha
Video
Notes
- Always choose a tender lamb or mutton pieces to make rogan josh curry as the meat pieces cook soon compared to matured meat pieces
- Tempering the whole Indian spices gives an exotic rich flavor and taste to this lamb curry and make sure not to burn them which delivers a bitter flavor to the curry
- I haven't marinated the lamb pieces with masala or yogurt but you could marinate them overnight if you are not on a time crunch
- I have slow-cooked this lamb rogan josh in a pot which gives an intensely rich flavor and taste to this dish but you can also use a pressure cooker or instant pot to speed up the process
Nutrition
FAQ
Rogan josh is a typical Indian lamb curry made with Indian spices and herbs. It is one of the signature dishes from Kashmiri cuisine and is popular for its rich flavors and taste. This lamb rogan josh curry is usually slow-cooked in an onion-tomato-based gravy and some versions also include yogurt which makes the dish special. It is typically served with rice, naan, roti, or paratha for lunch or dinner.
Yes, rogan josh is a spicy curry and the spiciness comes from the whole Indian spices and garam masala powder. But if you are making the dish with yogurt then the heat from the masala will get mellowed down.
Usually, tender lamb curry cut pieces are best for this recipe. But if you would like to use mutton then go for shoulder cuts which cook easily in a slow cooking method in a pot.
Yes, you can make this rogan josh in a slow cooker.
Rogan josh looks vibrant red color due to the paprika or Kashmiri chili added in the curry.
I really hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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