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!
While this recipe calls for a lengthy list of spices, you won’t need to take a trip to an Indian store to get them – they’re even sold at 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
- 3.5 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 salt
- 750g/1.5lb boneless lamb shoulder , cut into 3cm/1.2" cubes (Note 6)
- 1.5 cups / 375ml 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
- 1 tsp garam marsala (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp fennel powder (Note 4)
FINISHES
- 1/2 tsp extra garam masala (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp extra fennel powder
SERVING/GARNISH
- 1/2 cup / 125g plain yoghurt (Greek yogurt fine)
- Chopped coriander leaves, finely shredded ginger, yogurt
- Basmati rice
Instructions
- Melt ghee over medium heat in large heavy based pot. Add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves and cook for one minute.
- 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.
- Stir in the Spices, cook for 30 seconds.
- Mix in the tomato puree and salt, then add stock and mix.
- Add lamb, stir, bring to simmer.
- 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.
- Remove lid, and continue cooking for another 15 minutes (to reduce sauce slightly) – lamb should be very tender by this stage.
- 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!!)
Made this tonight, only change I made was adding one chilli, absolutely amazing dish. Normally go for dansaks but 100% keeping this recipe for the future.
Also, top tip – make extra chicken stock and make your rice with that rather than just water, hello extra flavour.
I made this tonight for my lamb curry loving partner. I’m a vegetarian so I made a couple of veg curries at the same time. There were a lot of appreciative noises at the dinner table. I had a tiny sip of the sauce and it was absolutely amazing, the best one I’ve ever made. I also made your incredible flat bread recipe to go with it. I’m converted for life, exceeded all expectations. Thankyou so much,
I made it again with a lamb shoulder this time! (These things are so finicky to get the meat off the bone!) My husband was making audible food noises. We loved it so much. It tastes just like our favourite Indian place — or maybe even better!
I am still beyond amazed how perfect your spice mixture is. Thanks so much!
I am so glad you enjoyed it Eve!! N x
Love it, super good 👍
Oh my gosh 😍 I have no words for how good this made my house smell 🤤
Do you remove the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and cloves before serving? Would browning the lamb before cooking change the recipe?
Looks so good. thx Mary
You can remove them if you like – I don’t. I haven’t tried browning the lamb first – it gets lots of colour from the spices so it’s not necessary. N x
I made this for 7 and added 2 tins of diced tomatoes. Based on my wife’s suggestion. She’s Indian. And based on the description of several highly rated local Indian restaurants.
That transformed it for me
Very interested in making this recipe – How can i make it more mild for a fussy husband?
Thank you!
Going to try the rogun josh today whish me ĺuck
Good luck Ray! N x
I have made this before and it is delicious. However, it’s not very spicy. I know it’s not meant to be! So this time I added fresh chillis and extra hot chilli powder and it’s our favourite go-to curry here. Your recipe’s are always good.
Nagi, you’ve excelled again!!!
Absolutely delicious.
Thanks ❤️
Had to give this one a try after having made the butter chicken and naan bread recipe about 4 times in the last two months. It did not disappoint! We have another rogan josh recipe that uses toasted slivered almonds as a garnish. Would totally be good with this.
Delicious!! We love a good curry and this one has just gone to the top of our list, it was outstanding…my husband had three servings!
Loved this recipe. I made a double batch using 1.5kgs of cut up lamb shoulder roast. It was melt in the mouth with a good level of heat. Thank you.
It ain’t curry without curry in it, innit!
Curry powder is the product of the lazy English
MOST Indian recipes don’t have curry powder in it! They use spices that together make up all sorts of curry flavours 🙂 N x
Hi Bella, the recipe in practice would work with chicken beautifully, obviously the cut of chicken would impact the final product and cooking time. Thighs would be lovely, as would whole pieces of chicken bone-in- but either way you would only need to cook it for an hour or two before the chicken would be fully cooked and/or risking being over done.
Thanks for the reply Travis
Delicious. Trust the recipe. Only two differences I did…I couldn’t get lamb shoulder at the shops that wasn’t pre-marinated, but ColesWorth sold lamb shank meat (off the bone- AND for basically the same price as lamb shanks on the bone!!??!!) and it was devine. Also, as I needed to do a thousand things before dinner I finished it in a moderate oven (150°-ish) instead of the stove-top, giving it about an extra hour than your recipe called for as my afternoon got away from me… oh wow! Everyone from my 4 year old to my mother loved it!
Thanks Nagi
Can these steps be followed using chicken instead? How long would it need to cook for?
DAM!
Think I just made my first restaurant style curry…and I’ve been trying for years!
Well done!! N x
Has anyone tried this in a slow cooker?
That’s the way I’m going today