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!
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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;
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Best lamb for Rogan Josh –Â 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;
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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!!)
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
Made this tonight everybody loved it said it was restaurant quality along with the butter chicken another of your fabulous recipes Thanks Nagi
Is a recipe for Korma Curry on the cards 🤞
What a wonderful recipe. I did have to go the route of substituting some ingredients to what’s locally available (Southern California) and as such it did turn out spicy as the only available chili powder I had was ancho. I also clarified my own butter at home by melting in a pan and spooning out the fat layer.
Overall a very well balanced and good curry with a good amount of spice. The slow cooking really married the lamb and the spices together – even just toasting the fennel and adding the cinnamon to my pan made my kitchen smell so good. While mine did turn out spicier than usual, it was still very well balanced and the lamb turned out so nice. I enjoyed topped with chopped cilantro and served on basmati rice. Would definitely make again.
Hey Nagi. Could I do this recipe in the slow cooker?
Em 🙂
Made this dozens of times. A favourite of husband and son. Works well in slow cooker ( just use 1/2 cup water and tin of crushed tomatoes). I use beef rump instead of lamb.
Omgosh , what a fantastic flavoured dish!
I made it exactly as per the recipe ( had to dry roast fennel seeds and grind)
I do all the cooking for our family and this is the best curry I’ve made by a long way.
I’d rate against our very good local restaurant.
Thank you! 🙏
This turned out so yummy! Our whole family loved this. Our kids don’t eat lamb so I just substituted for casserole beef and simmered it in the slow cooker on low for 6 hours. Tasted even better than at the restaurant. Another keeper recipe from Nagi! PS. I can’t wait for your cookbook to be released.
Another incredibly delicious and foolproof recipe! An absolute hit with my guests and I’m excited to make it again! I’ve got my whole family onto this site and every week we’re all cooking at least one recipe from here. Can’t wait to buy my dad and myself the book when it comes out!
I made the Rogan Josh spices before adding them to the mix at the add spices stage. Wondrous result but not quite as good as the Mongolian “sizzling” lamb.
Omg! Made this today (Not my first rodeo with your recipes, my go to first before every other recipe site) and dam it’s delicious! Curry night tomorrow will be the taste of the night. Didn’t have ghee used butter n peanut oil. The 15 year old budding chef was my left hand woman. However the husband and 13 year old boy have been slapped on the hand numerous times already for continuously test tasting! There’ll be none left for tomorrow night!!!!!!
This was so simple and so delicious. I served it with your no yeast flat breads which were also very simple and delicious.
Would you share how to modify this if I wanted to make this in an instant pot?
Just follow the recipe as is using the sautee function, then at step 8, simply put the lid on and pressure cook for 40 minutes before following the rest of the recipe as written – works perfectly!
I did this myself, and had the meal on the table in just over an hour.
Nagi! I cook for a work site and one of the fellas don’t like chilli 🙄 I wanted to cook this tomorrow night and wondering is the only ingredient in this dish the chilli powder to make it spicy? Thankyou so much, I love your blessed hands and amazing tastebuds! Appreciate all your recipes!
I’ve cooked this twice in my slow cooker. Lamb shoulder is the way to go. First time I only had leg of lamb…it was ok, couple of bits seemed dry….shoulder with having more fat…much more tender. Slow cooked in my cooker for 4 hours…just check the meat for tenderness.I didn’t even sear lamb…just put it in slow cooker…did spice mixture and stock as per recipe, then put it all together. Flavors are good, better after a day. Love your recipes.
Hi Nagi, I made this for dinner tonight and the texture of the curry sauce was quite powdery. I’m not sure what I did, other than I made a 1.5x batch. The lamb was amazing but I was just so disappointed in the texture. Any ideas?
Big fan of all your recipes!
not much of a commenter but i love your work!!! thanks for sharing these meal ideas! i’ve struggled eating red meat since im not much of a fan of it and the tender side of this is really appealing
I hope that you enjoy it Rittin!! N x