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Lamb Rogan Josh Kashmiri Influenced Curry

Lamb rogan josh is an ever-popular curry that is defined by soft and tender yoghurt-marinated meat in a boldly flavoured and spicy sauce.

My version of this recipe combines traditional North Indian and Pakistani influences with British Indian restaurant flavours.

Lamb rogan josh curry with rice, naan and fresh coriander.

Classic Rogan Josh Recipe

This recipe has many names, roghan josh or rogan gosht. I’ve even seen rogan gosh which gets a special mention simply because it makes me smile and reminds me of an old friend!

As far as I am concerned, Lamb or mutton is the perfect meat for a curry.

I use it in dishes like my lamb madras, lamb pasanda, lamb jalfrezi and I use minced lamb in my keema matar recipe.

It has a big and bold flavour that holds up well to big spices and most importantly a really nice quantity and quality of fat.

That fat is the key to getting all of those complex flavours to meld together perfectly.

Generally speaking, spices are fat-soluble rather than water-soluble, which is why lamb curries like this lamb rogan josh are always smoother and rounder to the palate.

Overhead lamb rogan josh curry with rice, naan and fresh coriander.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I skip marinating the lamb?

You can if you wish but marinating in yoghurt is an old technique that helps both tenderise meat and add flavour.

It will, of course, make a difference on the flavour front, but it will not be night and day.

What sort of lamb should I buy?

I usually use some diced lamb shoulder for this recipe, although sometimes I make it with lamb neck fillet. Using lamb neck fillets needs an extra 30 minutes of cooking.

This recipe made with mutton is heavenly, everything remains the same, all you need to do is add twice as much water and simmer for 90 minutes.

Can I make this with chicken?

Yes although the timing is very different, fear not, I do have a chicken rogan josh ready waiting for you. Mainly because I’m the kinda cook who thinks chucking a piece of chicken in a sauce designed for lamb is all sorts of wrong.

Can I make this in advance?

Oh yes, like many curry dishes, this recipe improves with age, it is stunning after it has been sat in the fridge overnight.

It will be fine sat in the fridge for 2-3 days and will freeze for up to 3 months with no problems.

Close-up lamb rogan josh curry with rice and fresh coriander.

Serving Suggestions

I tend to keep my curry recipe sides pretty simple. I am perfectly happy with a tandoori style naan bread or some chapattis.

If I am adding rice then it is usually plain boiled or steamed rice, but a nice pilau rice is also always a solid choice.

If rice isn’t your choice, how about some potatoes? I love this dish with a side of my roast Bombay potatoes or aloo methi.

But there are other additions that really work well with the richness of this lamb rogan josh.

The first is a good kachumber salad, it is essentially a salad of diced onion, tomato and cucumber with a citrus dressing, some sugar and coriander or mint.

Another thing that works really well is a lime pickle, a classic Indian side served with pappadoms but I love it stirred through curries.

Kashmiri influenced lamb rogan josh curry served with rice and naan bread.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Stovetop.
  • 30cm or 12″ frying pan or skillet with a lid.
  • Stirring and serving spoons.
  • Mixing bowl.
  • Kicthen knife.
  • Chopping board.
  • Spice grinder or pestle and mortar.
  • Weighing scales and or a combination of a measuring jug, cups and spoons.
Kashmiri influenced lamb rogan josh curry served with rice and naan bread.
Yield: 2 Servings

Lamb Rogan Josh Curry Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Marinade Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 9 hours 10 minutes

My Lamb Rogan Josh recipe epitomises everything I love about Indian flavours, it is spicy hot with complex but harmonious flavours. The yoghurt marinade helps deliver the most beautifully soft and tender lamb without hiding the flavour!

Ingredients

  • 400g (14 oz) Lamb
  • 125ml (½ Cup) Natural Yoghurt
  • 30g (Thumb Sized Piece) Ginger
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • 1 Star Anise
  • 6 Green Cardamom Pods
  • 4 Cloves
  • 1 Blade Mace
  • 1 Tsp Black Pepper Corns
  • 2 Tbsp Cooking Oil
  • 150g (1 Cup) Onion
  • ½ Tsp Ground Cumin
  • ½ Tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1-1½ Tbsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
  • 1 Tsp Ground Coriander
  • 1 Tsp Ground Turmeric
  • ½ Tsp Salt
  • 2 Tbsp Tomato Puree

Instructions

  1. Cut the lamb into 2-2.5cm (¾-1") cubes.
  2. Take the yoghurt and use it to marinate the lamb for at least 8 hours and as long as 24 hours.
  3. Blitz together the ginger and garlic with a little water to form a paste.
  4. Stir half of this through the lamb and yoghurt mix. Do this a couple of hours before you cook or whilst you are preparing, a couple of hours gives the best flavour.
  5. Cut the onion into thin (2-3mm or ⅛") half-moon shapes.
  6. Add the cardamom pods, black peppercorns, cloves, mace and star anise to a dry pan 30cm or 12" frying pan or skillet.
  7. Toast them off over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes then grind them in a spice grinder or a pestle and mortar.
  8. Reduce the heat in the pan to medium and add the cooking oil and when the oil is hot add in the ground spice mix and cook it off for 30 seconds.
  9. Add in the onions, ground cumin and ground cinnamon along with the remaining garlic and ginger paste
  10. Cook until golden brown, this should take 10-15 minutes.
  11. Throw in the lamb and the marinade to the pan along with the Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric and ground coriander and season with half of the salt.
  12. Cook for 10 minutes making sure you keep it moving as it will want to stick to the pan. This is normal and helps build flavour.
  13. After 10 minutes add in the tomato puree and 75ml (⅓ cup) of water and stir.
  14. Reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for 25 minutes adding more salt if required after 10 minutes of simmering.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 897Total Fat: 59gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 35gCholesterol: 198mgSodium: 805mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 6gSugar: 11gProtein: 57g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Sam

Wednesday 27th of July 2022

Hi this recipe sounds great but could I make this in a slow cooker? If so would I need to change anything? Thankd

Brian Jones

Thursday 28th of July 2022

Hi Sam... You could turn this into a slow cooker curry, but there are couple of things to be aware of. The long slow cooking may cause the yoghurt to separate, it is not problematic in terms of being able to eat it or even flavour but it will not look the best.

Also, slow cookers do not get rid of much moisture so it could be quite a lot "wetter", you can add a step to help prevent the yoghurt from splitting and to help with the texture a little and that's to add a little flour, just a tablespoon or two. I would use gram flour personally, but plain flour will work.

In addition, I would not add any water.

Sear or toast all of the ingredients as per my instructions, then transfer to the slow cooker and then cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Hope this works.

Enjoy.

Brian

Jackie

Tuesday 21st of June 2022

Loved the flavour but despite being a hot chilli lover next time I would reduce it down to 1tsp not 2. Also despite marinating in yoghurt for 24 hours it took an hour n a half for the meat to cook till tender, will definitely however cook it again :)

Brian Jones

Monday 11th of July 2022

Glad you enjoyed it Jackie... Chilli preference really is such a challenge to get right, one persons raging inferno is another gentle tickle, it is probably the greatest challenge in writing spicy recipes.

Jane Starling

Sunday 30th of January 2022

Rogan Josh is one of my favourite curries. I've tried loads of recipes over the years but none of them have ever come close to the one I can get via takeaway. That was until tonight, it was delicious! I had to pare the chilli down because I live with a chilli wimp but it didn't detract from the depth of flavour. Brian you sir are awesome!

Brian Jones

Saturday 5th of February 2022

Thanks Jane, always good to hear from folk that enjoy the grub :)

Sue Brown

Monday 19th of July 2021

Greetings from upstate New York (NOT the city) :) I fairly new to cooking with lamb and making Indian dishes. What cut of lamb should I use? I have some lamb front shoulder roast, chops and shanks in the freezer. Will any of them or a combination work for this recipe? I also have a Penney’s Rogan Josh spice blend that I bought on a whim. Can I sub that for some of the spices in your recipe? Thanks!!

Brian Jones

Thursday 29th of July 2021

Hi Sue... Sorry that it took me a while to respond, I have been relocating so steeped away from my site for a week so greetings right back at you from both Eastern Hungary and North West Britain lol.

I always use boned cube shoulder for this, it has just the right fat ratio, you can get away with the upper leg too and even rump if you have some.

As for the spice blend yes you can use it but how good it will be is a real unknown, the blending of spices varies greatly, give it a try, and as the sauce cooks have a taste if you find it a little flat add more of what you think is missing, I would guess that it would be the mace and star anise and add some later on.

Enjoy, Brian.

Gabriel Kelly

Sunday 4th of April 2021

Hi Brian This is a great recipe, thanks for sharing it. I've made it twice now with some minor adjustments for my family. It was our Easter Sunday dinner this year! I used 1kg of lamb pieces and adjusted the youghurt to 500g and increased the garlic and ginger amounts. I just doubled all the other ingredients and it made a lovely sauce with just enough kick to suit all tastes. I wanted to make it with chicken next would I need the same marinade time (overnight)? Regards Gabriel

Brian Jones

Monday 5th of April 2021

Hi Gabriel...

Glad you enjoy it. Personally speaking, I am not fond of subbing out sauces for beef or lamb straight into chicken, I find so often that the meat is completely lost. Reducing the marinade time will certainly help reduce that a little, look at 4 to 8 hours rather than overnight.

I would also maybe look at cooking it with skin-on bone-in chicken portions and then removing the skin and shredding and simmering for 10 minutes before serving. It will add a little more "fat" to the dish that you can skim off but it should add a boatload more chicken flavour.

Good luck.

Brian

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