Rogan Josh
Rogan Josh is a classic comfort dish from Kashmir in India, known for its bold flavors and hearty ingredients. The lamb meat, slow-cooked in a fragrant mix of whole spices and ghee, takes on a tender and juicy texture that’s simply delicious.
This delicious Indian lamb curry features the perfect soft, tender lamb in an incredibly delicious curry sauce. The meat is slow cooked till it’s falling off the bone and is packed with flavor. Rogan josh is one of the tastiest Indian curries and you’re going to love it!
If you’re in the mood for lamb dishes, I’m sure you’re going to fall in love with my authentic Kabsa recipe, which is a traditional Saudi, flavored lamb and rice dish, or this tasty lamb coconut curry!
Read on to learn how to make this rogan josh recipe at home!
❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Easy to make: This rogan josh recipe is straightforward and simple, with clearly defined steps. From frying the whole spices in ghee to adding the lamb meat and powdered spices, each step is easy to follow.
- Perfect for the Family: The traditional flavors of rogan josh, with its tender lamb meat and aromatic spices, make it a hit with both adults and kids. This recipe, with its extra tips like using lamb meat with bones for more flavor and adding garam masala towards the end to avoid bitterness, is guaranteed to become a family favorite.
- Versatile: This recipe allows for substitutions if necessary. For instance, you can use beef instead of lamb, albeit with an increase in cooking time. This flexibility makes it versatile and adaptable to different dietary preferences or the availability of ingredients.
- Delicious: With a blend of spices like cumin, cloves, cardamom, and Kashmiri chili, this recipe promises an absolutely delicious dish. Plus, the addition of yogurt at room temperature guarantees a smooth and creamy gravy that enhances the overall taste.
🍊 INGREDIENTS
More details about the ingredients and measurements are in the recipe card below!
- Lamb meat with bones: This is the star of the dish, providing a rich, meaty flavor that is enhanced by the bones. Remember, lamb meat with bones has more flavor.
- Ghee: This clarified butter adds a distinct, nutty flavor to the dish and helps in sautéing the spices.
- Whole spices: This includes cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaves, black cardamom, and green cardamom. These provide a depth of flavor that is just not possible with ground spices. Make sure they are fresh for the best flavor.
- Kashmiri chili powder: This gives our rogan josh its vibrant color and a mild heat without overpowering the dish.
- Yogurt at room temperature: This helps to tenderize the lamb and gives a creamy, tangy flavor to the gravy. Remember, using room temperature yogurt prevents it from breaking and guarantees a smooth gravy.
- Garam masala: A mix of ground spices, it adds warmth and complexity to the dish. Avoid adding it in the beginning, as it might make the dish bitter.
🔪 HOW TO MAKE ROGAN JOSH
Let’s break down the process of making rogan gosht into easy-to-follow steps. Each step will begin with the main action you need to take, so you can follow along easily.
Step 1
Heat the ghee and spices in a pan: Start by adding ghee to a large pan. Once the ghee is hot, add all the whole spices. Cook these until their aroma fills your kitchen.
Step 2
Brown the lamb meat: Add the lamb meat to the pan and cook it on medium heat for about five minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally to prevent the meat from sticking to the pan.
Step 3
Add the powdered spices: Now it is time to enhance the flavor. Add all the powdered spices except the garam masala to the meat, and cook for another minute on medium-low heat.
Step 4
Stir in the yogurt: Beat the yogurt until it is smooth, then add it to the meat. Stir everything together for two minutes on medium heat, then cover and cook on medium-low heat. Remember to stir occasionally to prevent burning.
Step 5
Cook the meat in boiling water: Pour boiling water over the meat, cover the pan, and let it cook for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the meat is tender.
Step 6
Add the garam masala: Finally, add the garam masala and cook for an additional two minutes. Turn off the heat, but keep the pan covered for 10 more minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
👩🏽🍳 PRO TIPS
- Choose the right meat: Opt for lamb meat with bones, as it imparts more flavor to the rogan josh. If you’re using beef instead, remember that the cooking time will increase.
- Time your spices: Do not add garam masala with the rest of the spices at the beginning of cooking. Adding it towards the end prevents the dish from turning bitter.
- Watch your yogurt: To prevent the yogurt from breaking and to achieve a smooth gravy, use yogurt at room temperature.
- Check your spices: Always check your spices before using them. Some spices, even in powder form, can lose their flavor if not stored properly, regardless of the expiry date.
- Stir occasionally: When cooking the meat, remember to stir occasionally. This prevents the meat from burning and guarantees even cooking.
- Let the flavors mingle: After adding the garam masala, turn off the heat and let the dish sit covered for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
📋 VARIATIONS
- Beef: While the traditional rogan josh is made with lamb, you can try substituting with beef for a different flavor profile. Keep in mind that the cooking time will increase as beef takes longer to tenderize.
- Spicier: If you love spicy food, this variation is definitely for you. Simply add an extra teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder or a few fresh green chilies to the dish. Remember to adjust the spice level according to your preference.
- More Yogurt: For a creamier gravy, increase the amount of yogurt in the recipe. Make sure to use the yogurt at room temperature to prevent it from breaking and to guarantee a smooth and rich gravy.
🍽️ HOW TO SERVE
- For a traditional Indian meal, serve your rogan josh with warm naan bread or fluffy basmati rice. The soft bread or rice perfectly absorbs the rich, flavorful gravy of the dish.
- If you’re hosting a dinner party, consider serving your dish as part of a larger Indian feast. Compliment it with other dishes like tandoori chicken, vegetable biryani, and a cooling cucumber raita.
- Rogan josh makes a fantastic leftover. The flavors deepen and intensify overnight, making it even more delicious the next day. Serve it again with rice or chapati and enjoy your tasty meal!
💬 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Lamb meat with bones is recommended for this recipe because it imparts more flavor to the dish. The bones release their marrow into the sauce during the simmering process, creating a richer, deeper taste.
To prevent the yogurt from curdling and to guarantee a smooth gravy, use yogurt that is at room temperature and beat it for a minute before adding to the meat. This helps it blend seamlessly into the hot ingredients without breaking apart.
It is important to check your spices before using them, as some spices that come in powder form can lose their flavor if not stored properly. This is true even if the expiry date hasn’t been reached, so it is always a good idea to give them a sniff test.
🌡️ STORING
Refrigerate: The aromatic rogan josh can be safely refrigerated for up to 3-4 days. Just make sure to store it in an airtight sealed container to maintain its flavor and prevent it from drying out.
Reheating Instructions: When you’re ready to enjoy your leftovers, reheat it slowly on the stovetop over medium heat. Be gentle with the reheating process to retain all the flavors. Simmer until it is hot and serve it with warm naan or rice.
Freezing: Unfortunately, rogan josh doesn’t freeze well because of the yogurt-based gravy. The yogurt can separate and become grainy when thawed, taking away from the smooth and creamy texture of the dish.
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⭐ PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW
If you have tried this recipe and liked it, please give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment below with your experience!
Rogan Josh Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kilo or 2 lbs of lamb meat with bones
- 2 tablespoon ghee
Whole spices
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 black cardamom
- 4 green cardamom
Other ingredients
- 3 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 teaspoon funnel powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- 4 tablespoon yogurt at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Enough boiling to cook the lamb meat around 5 to 6 cups.
Instructions
- In a large pan, add the ghee and when hot add all the whole spices. Cook until you smell their aroma.
- Add the lamb meat and cook for five minutes on medium heat. To the meat, add all the powdered spices except the garam masala and cook with the meat for a minute on medium low heat.
- Now, beat the yogurt with a spoon or fork to make it smooth, add it to the meat, and stir for two minutes on medium heat. Cover and cook on medium low heat. Stir occasionally to prevent the meat from burning until the ghee separates.
- Pour the boiling water over the meat and cover it. Let it cook for 45 to 50 minutes or until the meat is tender.
- Add the garam masala and stir, cook for two minutes on medium low. Turn off the heat and keep the dish covered for 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- If you want to use beef the cooking time will increase.
- It is best to get lamb meat with bones since it has more flavor.
- Do not add garam masala with the rest of the spices in the beginning of cooking, it might make the dish bitter.
- To prevent the yogurt from breaking and to get a smooth gravy use yogurt at room temperature.
- Check your spices before using them, some spices that comes in a powder form lose their flavor if not stored properly, even if the expiry date is not up.
