Rogan Josh – an Indian lamb curry with a heady combination of intense spices in a creamy tomato curry sauce. The lamb is fall apart tender and packs a serious flavour punch! No special trip required to an Indian store for special spices, I get everything from my local grocery store.
Lamb Rogan Josh
Rogan Josh is one of the heavy hitters at Indian restaurants, a firm favourite alongside Butter Chicken, Tikka Masala and Tandoori.
I’d say Daal is up there too, but let’s be honest – if you can only order one curry, it probably won’t be daal (unless you’re with a vegetarian). Right? 🤷🏻♀️
There’s a decent list of spices called for in Rogan Josh. As would be expected given the kapow! flavour of the creamy tomato curry sauce!
But it doesn’t call for any hard to find ingredients. In fact, you can get all the spices at large supermarkets here in Australia.🙌🏻
This recipe is based on one from one my favourite chefs, Rick Stein, from his book Rick Stein’s India. I felt the addition of stock and increasing the amount of spices really made this Rogan Josh taste just that much more curry-house style. Now “that’s a mind-blasting curry, Ricky ….”
Ingredients in Rogan Josh
Here’s what you need. And yes, dear fellow Aussies, you really can get all the ingredients at Coles, Woolworths or Harris Farms!
Spices – all spices listed above are common ones with the exception of Garam Masala. This is an Indian Spice Mix which is sold at supermarkets nowadays, however, if you are struggling to find it, substitute with curry powder;
Best lamb for Rogan Josh – Lamb shoulder is best because it’s well marbled with fat and becomes ultra tender and juicy when slow cooked for a couple of hours;
Ghee – this is just pure butter so it has a more intense butter flavour than normal butter (spreadable or block for cooking). In fact, it’s just clarified butter also known as browned butter, which is simply butter that’s melted and simmered until the water content evaporates, leaving behind 100% butter fat. It’s SO GOOD and it’s an essential ingredient for flavour in Indian cooking, adding a layer of richness to the sauce. Sold at large grocery stores, or substitute with butter.
How to make Rogan Josh
And here’s how you make it. All in one go, in one pot – nice and easy!
Fall apart lamb
Rogan Josh is made with stewing lamb, so it needs to be cooked long and slow (2 hours, to be exact) for the lamb to become tender and for sauce flavour to develop.
You know it’s ready when you can use two forks to do THIS to the lamb:
What to serve with Rogan Josh
Something to soak with that glorious sauce is essential. Traditionally basmati (Indian long grain rice) rice is the go, though people suffering through low-carb torture can opt for Cauliflower Rice.
Something to mop your bowl clean would also be ideal and traditional. Real Naan you can make at home is no-brainer here! Chewy, fluffy and stretchy, you’ll feel like you’re at a restaurant! For a quicker alternative, try this easy No Yeast Flatbread that I use as naan with all my Indian curries.
Of course, something fresh will complete the meal. It’s pictured with a variation of this Herb & Garlic Cucumber Salad – I cut the cucumber into thicker chunks (for juicier bites), skipped the herb & garlic (the curry has enough flavour!) and sprinkled with coriander. Cooling Indian Tomato Salad with Mint Dressing would also be lovely, or for something a little more substantial and exotic, try South Indian Cabbage & Carrot Salad with Coconut.
If you’re going the whole hog to create a full Indian feast, try Samosas or Pakoras for the ultimate appetiser / starter!
– Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Rogan Josh (Indian Lamb Curry)
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 tbsp ghee , substitute butter (Note 1)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 green cardamom pods , lightly bruised
- 4 cloves
- 1 large onion , finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , finely minced
- 1 tbsp ginger , finely grated
- 5 tbsp tomato passata (US: tomato puree/sauce, Note 5)
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, double for flakes)
- 750g/1.5lb boneless lamb shoulder , cut into 3cm/1.2" cubes (Note 6)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock , salt reduced (broth)
SPICES:
- 2 tbsp paprika , normal or sweet
- 3/4 tsp chilli powder (or to taste, Note 2)
- 4 tsp ground coriander
- 4 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
- 1 tsp garam marsala (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp fennel powder (Note 4)
FINISHES
- 1/2 cup plain yoghurt (Greek yogurt fine)
- 1/2 tsp extra garam masala (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp extra fennel powder
SERVING/GARNISH
- Chopped coriander leaves, finely shredded ginger, yogurt
- Basmati rice
Instructions
ABBREVIATED
- Toast whole spices in ghee, then sauté onion, garlic and ginger. Toast ground spices 30 seconds, add tomato, salt, stock and lamb. Simmer gently covered 1 hr 45 min until lamb fork-tender, simmer with lid off 15 min to reduce. Stir in Finishes, serve!
FULL RECIPE
- Toast whole spices – Melt ghee over medium heat in large heavy based pot. Add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves and cook for one minute.
- Sauté – Add onion and cook for 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until pieces are golden and starting the brown on the edges. Add the garlic and ginger, cook for another minute.
- Toast spices – Stir in the Spices, cook for 30 seconds.
- Sauce and lamb – Mix in the tomato puree and salt, then add stock and mix. Add lamb, stir, bring to simmer.
- Simmer 1 h 45 min – Place lid on and adjust heat to low or medium low so it's simmering gently. Cook 1 hour 45 minutes, giving it an occasional stir, until lamb is quite tender – use 2 forks to check, it should pry apart pretty easily.
- Reduce – Remove lid, and continue cooking for another 15 minutes (to reduce sauce slightly) – lamb should be very tender by this stage.
- Finish – Stir in the Yogurt, the Extra garam marsala and fennel. Cook for another few minutes.
- Serve with basmati rice, sprinkled with fresh coriander leaves and other garnishes if desired. More sides (pictured): Cucumber salad (Note 7) and Easy naan – No Yeast Flatbread
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More great curries of the world!
Life of Dozer
Teaching Dozer to use his new dog door using avocado toast as incentive!!
[Update] PS Dear everyone expressing concern about avocado being bad for dogs – they are not! I use a dog nutritionist to help me create Dozer’s raw food diet, to ensure he has the right nutrition etc. And I double/triple checked with him yesterday that avocado is fine for dogs in moderation, as with many things! You wouldn’t feed dogs a whole avocado everyday (also bearing in mind the seed is a choking hazard) but some is ok.
(Though having said that, the farm dog of an avocado farmer I know has been eating 3 avocados a day her whole life, and she’s healthy and fit, and has the shiniest coat I have ever seen on a dog!!)
I made this recipe today and oh my goodness!! Probably the best recipe I have ever used. I followed all the steps until the slow-cooking part, I then opted to pressure cook my curry (15 mins on high) the lamb is melt in your mouth and the taste is out of this world! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Woo hoo!! I am happy that you enjoyed it Sascia! N x
I made this dish for the very first time tonight. I reviewed at least 6 versions of this recipe on YT and decided to pull the trigger on your version as it seemed quite simple. It tuned out amazing! I prefer to eat this dish with a cucumber raita yogurt sauce. I plan to make this dish many times in the future. Thanks
I am happy that you enjoyed it Gerry!! N x
Can this be made in a slow cooker? Is so for how long on low setting?
After you sear all the spices and combine with the stock and it is hot, you could move it to a slow cooker to simmer. I haven’t tested it for timing so just simmer on low then check it after 1 hour 45 and see how long it takes to go tender! N x
Hi Nagi,
Would this recipe be suitable for a pressure cooker? I love this recipe but don’t make it often because of time. Could you advise if you would make any changes?
So delicious and easy! Will definitely make again.
I am happy that you liked it Chantelle! N x
Couldn’t get shoulder so used leg. Rogan Josh is my husband’s favourite curry and I make it for him regularly. Yours is the best one I’ve ever made apparently!! It was absolutely delicious and my other RJ recipe has been banished forthwith!!
I am happy that you liked it Samantha! N x
Making this for Sunday lunch tomorrow. How spicy is it?
It’s not that spicy Chantal but if you are worried about that you can leave the cayenne out! N x
Hi Nagi, I don’t see Cayenne in the recipe? Should Cayenne be included?
This turned out amazing. Only tweaks….. I added the spices, cooked out for couple of minutes, then lamb for couple of minutes to seal, then purée and water.
Used butter instead of ghee.
Otherwise, stuck to recipe.
I’m Indian and cook a great deal, but always struggled to get lamb that tender. Stuck with lamb shoulder, loosely trimmed. Lamb was melt in your mouth. Amazing recipe.
I am so happy you enjoyed it Aijaz! N x
Rogan Josh is a recipe which originated in Kashmir when onion, garlic was and tomato was not available in this part of the world 🙂. So this is anything but Rogan Josh.
hi PsG, there’s this little thing called “adaption” you might have heard of! funnily enough, when the same dish is being made for 100s of years in many different countries generally it has variation- this one is no exception. so while this may not be “traditional”, it is definitely rogan josh. hope this helped! 🙂
It was fabulous!! I got so many compliments. Indian lamb curry is one of my favorites and so happy to find a recipe that is indeed a keeper. I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you!
I’ve been trying forever to make curries as good as the takeaways do, and this recipe is a keeper for sure. This Rogan Josh is very easy once everything is prepped. Melt in your mouth lamb with a super flavoursome sauce – thanks for the recipe Nagi!
I’m happy that you enjoyed it Michael! N x
The flavor was ONO (DELICIOUS) as we say in Kauai-however my sauce cooked all the way down. any suggestions next time?
Hi Kristin – you can add a bit more stock or gravy if it seems to be reducing a bit too quickly. N x
I made this dish recently and it was amazing. Had so many comments saying it’s the best curry ever. Thankyou for this delicious recipe.
This might be a really random question – but do you remove the cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamon pods after cooking? Or just pick them out when eating? How does that work?
Hi Jenny – Indian food does traditionally contain whole spices and you can either remove them before serving or just set them aside when eating. N x
Thanks. Appreciate your reply 🙂
I’m planning on doing an Indian dinner party and one of my guests requested rogan josh. I did a “dry run” today and your recipe rocks! I expect to have some very happy guests.
Kashmiri dishes are Pakistani bud.
Hi I was wondering if I could do this in the slow cooker? I’ve a large crowd coming round and thought I could use two slow cookers to make enough for 20 people?
As long as you saute off the spices and onion first Amanda, that should work fine. You might have to remove the lamb and reduce the sauce a bit at the end if it doesn’t reduce enough with the lid off. N x
this was an amazing curry; I’ve made this so many times after finding this recipe. one of the best curry recipes out there
Sorry Nagi,
Re Rogan Josh – my question is how can I make this recipe in my slow cooker. Cheers, Julie
Hi Nagi,
We love your recipes and looking forward to your new cookbook. Please advise if or how I can make your Rogan Josh in a slow cooker as during the summer I don’t like to use the oven. Thanks and take care, Julie
So good my sons argued over the last serve….
Will be another regular recipe
thank you Nagi