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!!)
Love this recipe! I am on Indian descent and struggle to make proper curries, the taste of this curry is true to its name and origin… thanks Nagi..
I made this but I substituted tough yet with buttermilk as I have extra from making cupcakes. Really good recipe, easy to follow. Thank you. I also tried your pad Thai and red curry recipe. 👌🏽
That’s yoghurt. This spell check is crazy.
I cook Indian dishes a few times each month, and this was perhaps the best I’ve ever made. Skipped the fennel powder (didn’t have it) and substituted about 1/2 tsp of ground coriander in place of the seeds. Otherwise I followed the recipe precisely. Lamb was incredibly tender (I used lamb shank) and the sauce was velvety and flavorful, but not spicy.
Made today and it was amazing! I didn’t have cinnamon sticks so I used grounded cinnamon and it was still delicious!!
At what point do you remove the cinnamon stick? Any suggestions to ensure you dont accidentally serve up a whole clove or cardamom pod?
Hi Heather, you can simply remove before serving 🙂 N x
Can this be cooked with goat instead- what would you change to suit? what if a electric pressure cooker is used ? Thanks
Hi Sam, I’m sure you can cook with goat but I haven’t tried so I’d need to test. You really want this curry simmering so it reduces and builds flavour so it’s not suitable in a pressure cooker. N x
Could you do this in a slow cooker?
Not this one sorry Stuart, you really need it simmering to reduce the sauce – N x
Absolutely delicious!! Added a bit of extra chilli powder but other than than that, perfect!
A fabulous success on first making, good instructions and easy to make😁
Made a batch yesterday and let it mature overnight.
Was fantastic with beautiful flavor.
Used 1/2 teaspoon of Kashmiri Indian Chilli which was perfect for me.
Thanks for sure your recipes. Always spot on.
This recipe is amazing!! I couldn’t get boneless lamb shoulder so my butcher recommended diced lamb. Turned out a bit dry because of that but the flavour was beautiful. I’ll definitely be making this again. Should be easy enough now that I have all of the spices on hand.
Great recepie, too much pepper, U would quarter the pepper, do just 4 gloves of garlic, 1cm of ginger. Otherwise, knockout dish!
Times in a pressure cooker???
Hi Sophia, the only way to do this recipe in a pressure cooker would be to follow the recipe as written, transfer to a pressure cooker at step 8, pressure cook for 35 minutes, then return to the stove to simmer and reduce – N x
I have never tried to cook Rogan Josh before so thought i would give this recipe a go. OMG best ever, even my husband rekons that its better then any takeaway we have ever had. Absolutely beautiful.
Thanks for this recipe Nagi, this is hands down the best rogan josh i have ever cooked. Will be a regular in our house.
That’s great Mark!! N x
Morning Nagi. Your site is my “go to” site for all things culinary. I made this lamb Rogan Josh for a Malaysian friend of mine at the weekend and he truly believed it was restaurant standard. I want to repeat it for my daughter but she doesn’t like lamb. Will it work with chicken thighs or beef! If so, which would you recommend?
This was like rogan josh straight out of the restaurant. So tasty and full of spices. I added one black cardamom and used smoked paprika. Omitted the garam masala but could go either way. Thanks!
Wahoo!! That’s great to hear Hawk! N x
This recipe looks amazing, would it be good with lamb shanks?
Will let you know doing it with shanks tomorrow
Thank you for another absolutely delicious recipe. I struggled to find lamb shoulder but when I finally found it I couldn’t wait to try and I followed the recipe exactly. I served this with saffron rice, flat bread and sliced cucumber. My BF loved it and I am freezing half to have at another time. Thank you for all your efforts, this recipe is perfect and made me look like a chef!
This was great! Complete hit with the family. I didn’t use the chilli for the kids though.