Rogan Josh is a flavorful Indian curry from the Kashmir region made with lamb or goat and vibrant Kashmiri chilies, a rich and savory dish, perfect for spicy food lovers.
Rogan Josh Recipe (Indian Lamb Curry)
Looking for your new favorite lamb curry? Look no further than Rogan Josh. Rogan Josh is a popular curry dish from Kashmiri, a region of Northern India.
It is a delicious red stew known for it's rich flavor and vibrant red color from the use of Kashmiri chilies.
It is typically made with lamb, though goat is also popular. The meat is slow cooked in a flavorful curry mix that's loaded with spices and aromatics, perfect for the spicy food lover.
You may have enjoyed Rogan Josh at your favorite Indian restaurant, but nothing beats a delicious Homemade Rogan Josh, where you can control all the spices and levels of heat your prefer.
This is how I like to make mine.
Let's talk about how to make rogan josh, shall we?
Rogan Josh Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- FOR THE CURRY PASTE
- Vegetable Oil. Or use ghee.
- Spices. Whole cloves, cinnamon stick, green cardamom pods (green and black), mace (or use nutmeg).
- Vegetables. Onion, red bell pepper, ginger, garlic.
- Tomato Paste.
- FOR THE LAMB CURRY (LAMB ROGAN JOSH)
- Lamb Shoulder. You can use other cuts of lamb, bone-in or boneless lamb.
- Kashmiri Chili Powder. Use paprika and cayenne as a substitute.
- Other Spices. Ground coriander, ground fennel, ground turmeric, sea salt, garam masala.
- Chicken Stock. Or use water.
- Ground Almonds. You can also use cashews.
- Yogurt. Full-fat yogurt is best.
- For serving. Steamed rice, roti bread, fresh chopped parsley.
How to Make Rogan Josh - the Recipe Method
Make the curry paste first by cooking the cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and mace in a large pot or Dutch oven with a bit of oil or ghee. You only need a minute or so.
Brown the onion and peppers in the same pot, then bloom the ginger, garlic, and tomato paste.
Deglaze the pot, then process the mixture to form the flavorful curry paste.
Brown the lamb in the same pot in batches over medium-high heat, then add the spices - Kashmiri chili powder, ground coriander, ground fennel, ground turmeric, and salt to taste.
Add the curried onion-chili mixture to the pot along with chicken stock and simmer the curry until the lamb is fall-apart tender. It should take 1.5 hours or so, though cook take longer, depending on the lamb.
Finally, stir in the ground almonds, yogurt, and garam masala, then simmer 10 minutes to let the flavors develop.
Boom! Done! Your rogan josh is ready to serve. Doesn't it look wonderful? I love a good lamb curry with basmati rice and fresh coriander, and this is one of the best, hands down.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Consider making this recipe with goat. You can also make it with other meats, like pork, beef, or chicken.
- Other spices I've seen in other recipes include alkanet root, saffron, asafoetida, cumin, and bay leaves. Feel free to experiment with them.
Storage & Leftovers
Leftover rogan josh curry will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can easily reheat it in a pot on the stove top, or gently in the microwave.
You can also freeze it for 3 months or longer in sealed freezer containers.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this rogan josh recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy Indian cuisine and curries, check out this cookbook, which helped me adapt this recipe.
- The Indian Cooking Course, by Monisha Bharadwaj (affiliate link, my friends!)
- Also, check out my cookbook - The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist (affiliate link, my friends!)
Amazon Affiliate links, my friends! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Rogan Josh Recipe (Indian Lamb Curry)
Ingredients
FOR THE CURRY PASTE
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil divided (or use ghee)
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 large cinnamon stick
- 6 cardamom pods husks removed and crushed - use all green, or a mix of black and green
- 1 blade of mace or use nutmeg
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper chopped
- 1 2- inch knob ginger peeled and chopped
- 5 garlic cloves chopped
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
FOR THE LAMB CURRY (ROGAN JOSH)
- 1.5 pounds lamb shoulder cubed
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder or use paprika
- 1 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1.5 cups chicken stock or use water
- 2 tablespoons ground almonds or use cashews
- 1/2 cup yogurt full-fat preferred
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- For serving. Steamed rice, roti bread, fresh chopped parsley.
Instructions
- Heat half of the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to medium heat. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamom and mace. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, or until fragrant.
- Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the onion is nicely browned and softened.
- Add the ginger, garlic, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring a bit, until the garlic blooms. Add ¼ cup water or stock to the pot to deglaze, then scrape the brown bits from the bottom. Let the liquid reduce until almost gone.
- Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil (or ghee) in the same pot to medium-high heat. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Add the lamb in batches and brown each side, 2-3 minutes per side.
- Stir in the chili powder, ground coriander, ground fennel, ground turmeric, and salt to taste. Cook, stirring for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
- Return the curried onion-chili mixture to the pot and add chicken stock.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1.5 hours, or until the lamb is fork tender. It could take longer, depending on the meat. Add a bit of water or stock to the pot if needed.
- Gently stir in the ground almonds, yogurt, and garam masala. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. The sauce should thicken up a bit. Shred the meat, if desired, and discard any bones.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Chris says
Mike.. I love this recipe. Quite different to what I cook in the uk, but always good to see how other countries interpret Indian cuisine. Have you got any others you would recommend?
Cheers,
Chris.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Chris. With certain curries, there are definitely interpretations from cook to cook. I have a number of Curry Recipes here you might try: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/curry/
Linda says
Just made this tonight, and it was wonderful! I'll definitely make this one again — and try the other Indian recipes. Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! Thanks, Linda! Glad you enjoyed it.
Petra says
I have been in Kashmir and Nepal more than once. They cook very mild, without chilies unfortunately. Not enough sun snd heat to grow them in the high mountains. And they use also buffalo meat more in the Himalayas. Cashews grow more than almonds ( Almonds need a lot of water ) cashews make everything creamy.
The food in the Himalayas was to bland and simple for me.
In Kerala, the south of India they finally cooked with chilies and coconut.
Best food in India
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks for sharing, Petra.
Ann... says
we don't eat lamb . could I use chicken instead?. want to make tonight
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, absolutely! Enjoy.
Ramya says
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use tofu and vegetable stock i never had rogan josh before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Mike H. says
Enjoy, Ramya.