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Lamb rogan josh

A slow Kashmiri-style braise of lamb shoulder, deep red with Kashmiri chilli, served with basmati rice.

165 min 50 min hands-on Serves 6 Indian

Rogan josh is a fragrant Kashmiri lamb curry known for its deep red colour and warming aromatic spices. The lamb is slow-braised until tender in a sauce built on onions, yoghurt, and ground spices. It is a special-occasion curry that is mostly hands-off once it is simmering.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg lamb shoulder, boneless, cut into 4cm chunks
  • 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • 4 tbsp ghee
  • 4 cardamom pods, lightly bashed
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 5 garlic cloves, grated
  • 2 thumb ginger, peeled and grated
  • 3 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 200 g natural yoghurt, full-fat, whisked smooth
  • 400 ml water, plus 750ml for the rice, and a splash more if the sauce catches
  • 450 g basmati rice
  • 1 small bunch coriander, leaves picked, to serve

Method

  1. Pat the lamb dry and season it with the salt. Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a large, heavy casserole over a medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in three batches, so each piece has room to colour, turning until well browned on most sides, 3 to 4 minutes a batch. Lift onto a plate.
  2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the rest of the ghee with the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes; the colour here becomes the colour of the sauce. Meanwhile, measure the ground spices into a small bowl.
  3. Stir in the garlic and ginger until fragrant and no longer raw-smelling, about 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chilli powder, ground coriander and cumin with a splash of water, so the spices cook without scorching. Return to a low heat for 1 minute, until the paste darkens and the ghee starts to separate at the edges.
  4. Keep the heat low and add the yoghurt a spoonful at a time, stirring each in before the next, so it enriches the sauce smoothly. Return the lamb and its juices, pour in the water and bring to a gentle simmer, about 5 minutes.
  5. Cover and cook over the lowest heat for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so, until the lamb breaks apart with a spoon and the sauce is thick and glossy, with a red sheen of ghee on top. Add a splash of water if it starts to catch. Start the rice about 25 minutes before the end.
  6. Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear. Put it in a pan with 750ml of water and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat. Cover, turn to the lowest heat and cook until the water is absorbed and steam holes dot the surface, 10 to 12 minutes. Take it off the heat and leave it covered to keep steaming.
  7. Fish out the cinnamon stick and bay leaves, and any cloves and cardamom pods you can see. Taste the sauce and add salt if it needs it. Fluff the rice with a fork, scatter the lamb with coriander and serve them side by side.

Tips

  • Brown the lamb in batches first so it develops colour and flavour before braising.
  • Cook it low and slow until the meat is fork-tender, which can take an hour and a half or more.
  • Add yoghurt off the boil and a little at a time so it enriches the sauce without splitting.

Common questions

What cut of lamb is best for rogan josh?

Use shoulder or leg cut into chunks, as these tougher cuts become meltingly tender with slow cooking.

Is rogan josh very spicy?

It is aromatic and warming rather than fiery, with flavour from spices like cardamom and fennel. Adjust the chilli to taste.