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!!)
Hi Nagi,
Can you do this recipe in the slow cooker.
Fabulous!! Taste great and is easy/low effort to make. Actually I was not impressed by the flavour when it was just cooked (a bit powdery and rough) but it was amazing the next day. Only change I made was to use less salt and added some honey and vinegar. Fabulous recipe! Will make it again
Fabulous and very easy/low effort to make. Actually I did not think it was that good when it had just cooked (a little powdery and rough tasting) but it was fabulous the next day!!! Only change I made was to use less salt, added a little honey and vingar. Great recipe!!!
This recipe is perfect. LOVED this curry.
Wow! Made this last night along with the naan bread. Amazing. My son used the naan bread to clean the pot once I plated dinner!! One of the best things for me was that I didn’t have to brown the lamb first like so many other recipes. The lamb just fell away it was so tender. Definitely making this again
Omg made the Rogan Josh it was delicious 😋 thank you for the beautiful recipe 😋
Hi Nagi, I’ve made this recipe twice now and as usual not disappointed. This Rogan Josh is outstanding, thanks to your hard work, I can cook my favourites that taste better than anything I can buy
Perfect. BBQd the lamb in a tandoori marinade before adding it to the sauce, and it was epic.
This isn’t about this particular recipe this about every recipe I have made of yours. Everyone I’ve ever cooked for thinks I’m a trained chef.😁
Love this recipe, surpasses restaurant quality!
Amazing
Fantastic! Instead of using lamb we used goat from our farm. Have been searching for a great curry recipe…the specific goat curry recipes I’d found were not as flavoursome. I used bone in meat and just adjusted the cooking time and it was fall apart tender. Another winner from Nagi!!
Hey Gayle, I was hoping to find someone who had tried this with goat as I bought some bone in goat pieces yesterday to use in a curry. How long did you cook it for?
Hey Chris, I have some goat and was looking at making this today, how long did you cook it for ? And was thinking of putting it in the oven to cook in the Dutch oven ??
Wow another fabulous recipe. Tried the korma, tikka marsala and this. I have in all recipes just made the sauce me being veggie hubby not. I did with this recipe pop in oven as I feel this gives a better depth of flavor than stove top. Vindaloo next on list!
Amazing. So achievable. Thanks Nagi.
My ex husband used to make this a pataks jar of rogan josh, but when i made this it took curry night to a whole new level!! so tender and tasty! just the best. love your recipes Nagi, thank you 🙂
First time making Rogan Josh. Very nice, went perfectly with some white rice, and perfect hearty dinner for a cold winter night. I trimmed off some of the fat from the lamb as it looked a bit too fatty for my liking, and it turned out well. The lamb was very tender and soft, and it still had lots of fat within the meat , so still had plenty of flavor and tenderness. Love it! I would make this again and again
Love your recipes and this was so easy but can you please help?
Please list how much yogurt to add in (I can’t see a measurement).
Are you able to offer a measurement for cloves if they are ground?
Thank you as always for your wonderful recipes
I hope Nagi sees this to confirm or otherwise, but I suspect the yoghurt line is meant to be *above* the Serving/Garnish heading so it’s part of the Finishes ingreds. If you read the recipe, this makes sense. I hope this helps until Nagi sees this! 😉
(Below what I’m wondering if it’s meant to be)
FINISHES
▢1/2 tsp extra garam masala
▢1/2 tsp extra fennel powder
▢1/2 cup / 125g plain yoghurt
SERVING/GARNISH
▢Chopped coriander leaves, finely shredded ginger, yogurt
▢Basmati rice
I tried ur Rogan Josh an it’s a winner recipe with my family. Thanx
I made the Lamb Rogan tonight , it was absolutely delicious , as good as you get from the restaurant, only thing I’d say is it is very oily , so I left it overnight in the fridge and skimmed the fat of next day ….absolutely perfect …
I’m making this for the first time but instead of lamb I am using goat meat as my partner requested it.