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Home Collections Curries

Rogan Josh

By:Nagi
Published:28 Feb '20Updated:12 Nov '21
456 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

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!

Rogan Josh with steamed Basmati Rice and cucumber salad

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 ….”

Close up of fall apart tender lamb Rogan Josh

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!

Ingredients in Lamb Rogan Josh

  • 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!

How to make Lamb Rogan Josh

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:

Close up showing tender lamb in Rogan Josh

Rogan Josh in a bow, ready to be eaten

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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Close up of Rogan Josh in a rustic bowl, served over basmati rice

Rogan Josh (Indian Lamb Curry)

Author: Nagi
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 2 hrs 30 mins
Mains
Indian
4.98 from 148 votes
Servings4 people
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above. An Indian lamb curry to die for! 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!

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:

1. Ghee is pure butter (butter is actually fat + water), has more intense butter flavour than normal butter. Sold at large grocery stores in Australia, sub with butter.
2. Chilli powder - this is pure chilli and it's spicy. This is not "Chili Powder" as sold in the US which is a spice mix and not that spicy.
3. Garam masala - Indian spice mix sold at large grocery stores nowadays. Sub with curry powder.
4. Fennel powder – This is simply ground fennel seeds. If you can only find fennel seeds, toast them carefully on a dry skillet. Then grind using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. 1 tsp fennel seeds will roughly yield 1/2 tsp of fennel powder. If you cannot find either ground or whole fennel seeds, you can leave this out.
5. Tomato passata – Plain pureed tomato. In the US it's called "tomato puree" - also what's called "tomato sauce" is fine to use (eg Hunts) (Aussies/UK - do not use what we call tomato sauce!).
Substitute: 1 tbsp tomato paste mixed with 4 tbsp water + 1/2 tsp sugar. Or puree canned tomato and measure out 5 tbsp.
6. Lamb - shoulder is best, it's marbled with fat so it's beautifully juicy once slow cooked until fall apart tender. Trim big hunks of fat but leave some. You want 750g of lamb after trimming.
Do not use leg or other lean cut, it will be dry.
If using bone in, get one around 1.1 - 1.2kg then cut meat off the bone.
7. Cucumber Salad pictured in post - use this Herb & Garlic Cucumber Salad, but I cut the cucumber into thicker chunks (for juicier bites), skipped the herb & garlic (the curry has enough flavour!) and sprinkled with coriander.
8. Storage and reheating - Keeps up to 5 days in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer. Like all stews and braises, it's even better the next day! Reheat on the stove or in the microwave. If it seems a little thick, loosen with stock if you have some left, else just water. Adjust seasoning if required – sometimes they need a small salt bump the next day.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 381cal (19%)Carbohydrates: 16g (5%)Protein: 29g (58%)Fat: 23g (35%)Saturated Fat: 12g (75%)Cholesterol: 116mg (39%)Sodium: 828mg (36%)Potassium: 735mg (21%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 5g (6%)Vitamin A: 1892IU (38%)Vitamin C: 4mg (5%)Calcium: 129mg (13%)Iron: 6mg (33%)
Keywords: indian curry, lamb curry, lamb rogan josh, rogan josh
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

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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!!)

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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456 Comments

  1. NorseArcher says

    November 28, 2022 at 10:58 am

    5 stars
    This was simply amazing! Thank you for providing the imperial measurements! I had to use beef (blasphemy, I know) as we had no lamb available. I appreciate the notes about spices. I had good ol’ American chili powder so added 1/4 t of cayenne pepper. Flavors were wonderful and hubby said he’d take this over plain American stew any day! I also made your naan recipe to go with- that was a hit too! I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Best wishes

    Reply
  2. Salma says

    October 19, 2022 at 7:51 am

    5 stars
    Amazing recipe. Kids love it. Just wondering if I can use powdered stock instead of liquid stock?

    Reply
    • NorseArcher says

      November 28, 2022 at 11:01 am

      Hi Salma, is your powdered stock one that you add water to? If so, I think it would be fine. I use a paste stock that you add water to and it is the equivalent of liquid stock.

      Reply
  3. Corinne says

    October 17, 2022 at 6:47 pm

    I love this site so much. Always beautiful recipes. This one tops it. I used lamb leg steaks and substituted half for potatos which I added towards the end of cooking. I didn’t add more fennel or Graham masala. The yoghurt is a must for me. Just a tad to balance the spice. Was absolutely perfect. Thank you.

    Reply
  4. Susanna Tang says

    October 1, 2022 at 9:35 am

    Hi Nagi. Can I cook this recipe in a slow cooker? The cost of energy in the UK is bloody terrible….. I made your yummy beef stew using a slow cooker and it was so good. Thanks

    Reply
  5. Abir says

    October 1, 2022 at 4:33 am

    5 stars
    Thank you so much. followed the recipe exactly (except added double onions).
    It was sooo good.
    Thanks Nagi for all your efforts Xx

    Reply
  6. Steph G says

    September 30, 2022 at 3:34 pm

    5 stars
    Yesss! My go-to chef for curries has been Charmaine Solomon, but her recipes are usually time consuming and ingredient-heavy, involving quite a few stages of prep (and the results never taste quite like what you would get in an Indian restaurant!).
    I was sceptical of this recipe especially at the frying spices stage, as all I could smell was the paprika – but the end result was so good! I’m going to use it with chicken thigh fillets next time (for a non red meat eating friend)
    Thanks again Nagi for another banger of a recipe!

    Reply
  7. Mary Cooke says

    September 25, 2022 at 5:08 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing curry – cooked it for family lunch and it went down a storm. Such depth of flavour and so simple to make. I usually like to trial recipes before serving to guests but everything I have cooked of yours Nagi is delicious and I am 100% confident to cook and serve without a trial run. Thank you

    Reply
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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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