This Indian classic lamb rogan josh is made with mutton or lamb cooked with yogurt sauce and caramelized onions. Wonderful Indian spices perfume the lamb with rich authentic flavors, aroma, and color.
Table of Content
I have fond memories of the Indian rogan josh as a kid. Mom made it with mutton (goat meat). So, we called it mutton rogan josh. As kids, we simply called it mutton curry (what is mutton? we discussed it when I shared my recipe for Lamb Masala).
What is Rogan Josh?
This is an authentic North Indian (Kashmir) dish and consists of cooking the meat in oil at intense heat. The name Rogan Josh means red passion. Rogan means red color and josh means passion or heat.
Often, people think this dish is spicy. But that's not true. In fact, this dish is red, and yet, not necessarily spicy. Having said that, an Indian curry without a little heat feels incomplete. And, in India, we love that spicy edge to our curries.
Why make this lamb
- People often perceive it to be a complicated recipe. When in truth it's a lot simpler than most other recipes. Originally, this dish has a lot more ghee in it. But we've used oil and fairly little. And yet, you are free to add a few more tablespoons if your feel like being more authentic.
- There are three main components to this dish. And each of these is simple and easy to make.
- The yogurt marinade - Simple plain Greek yogurt with Indian spices you probably already have in your kitchen.
- Spice mix - Whole spices that are lightly pounded to bring out the flavors. Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and star anise are again things you probably have in your pantry. Alternatively, you can use store-bought garam masala.
- Onions - This is what makes this dish rich, sweet, and scrumptious. The caramelized onions. And if you know the difference between sautéed onio
n s and caramelized onions, then you know this is not to be skipped.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Lamb - I prefer to use lamb shoulder or leg of lamb for this dish. The meat does take longer to cook, but it comes out tender and juicy and absorbs all those wonderful spices
- Onions - I love to use red onions. It adds a bit of sweetness which is very desirable. And it is very important that you cook the onions longer and slower. This will help caramelize the onions, which not just enhances the taste, but also adds that touch of deep red color to this dish (which I love).
- Yogurt - Meat and dairy cooked together have a unique taste. In addition, yogurt also tenderizes the meat and makes it cook faster. I've used Greek yogurt for that rich and creamy taste.
- Spices in yogurt - There really is no unique spices in this dish other than simple coriander, cumin, paprika, and cayenne or Kashmiri chili powder, which you can find on any supermarket spice rack. Usually, as a substitute, I'd say you can use my curry powder, but curry powder has a lot more in it. So, it won't be the same rogan josh, more like any other Indian lamb curry, and it would still be delicious.
- Spice mix - These are almost whole spices used to perfume the dish by lightly crushing them. And if you don't have the whole spices you can use garam masala. This is an Indian spice blend made with warm spices like cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon similar to a gingerbread spice mix or pumpkin spice mix. It can be found easily is most supermarkets these days. I make my own and you can find my homemade garam masala spice mix here.
Easy lamb rogan josh recipe
- Lamb - Trim off excess fat and cut lamb into 2 to 3-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and ginger and combine well.
Pro tip - you want the lamb to be about bite size but not too small so it breaks apart during cooking or too large as it takes longer to cook on the stovetop.
- Marinade - Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl, and combine well.
- Then, add lamb to the marinade and set it aside to marinate for an hour on the counter or in the fridge overnight.
Pro tip - Always use glass or stainless steel to marinate. Do not use aluminum as it can oxidize with the acid in the marinade. Also, avoid plastic as it can get stained from the spices. - Whole spice - Add the spices to a mortar and pestle. Lightly pound to crush them – you want the cardamoms to open and the cinnamon a bit smaller.
Pro tip - You can open the cardamom with a knife and leave the cinnamon whole if you don't want the flavor to be too strong. Alternatively, you can use ½ teaspoon garam masala at the end of the cooking in the recipe.
- In a dutch oven or heavy-bottom saute pan, add one tablespoon of oil or ghee. And sauté the whole spices for a minute.
- Then, add the onions with a pinch of salt. Saute onions until lightly golden – about 5 to 7 minutes.
Pro tip - Caramelizing the onions in this recipe is very important. So don't make haste and don't cook on very high heat. We want the onions caramelized not burnt. - Once the onions have been caramelized, add the marinated lamb and remaining oil/ghee.
Pro tip - If the lamb you are using has excess fat, you can omit the extra oil or ghee.
- Cook on high for 2 minutes while stirring constantly until the meat is no longer pink.
Pro tip - The high heat will sear the meat on all sides keeping the pieces moist inside. - Next, add ½ cup water and let come to a boil. Then, cover the pan, lower the heat, and let simmer on medium-low until the lamb is cooked to fork-tender.
Pro tip - If necessary add a little more water as needed. Alternatively, you can add 1 cup of water and cook it with gravy. - When the lamb is fork-tender, taste and adjusts the seasoning. Garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro (fresh coriander).
- Enjoy!
More Indian curries
Tips for Success
- Use lamb cuts such as lamb shoulder, leg of lamb, or stew meat when making curry.
- Today, I am using boneless but lamb with bones is ideal for making curry as the marrow in the bones adds more flavor.
- Cut the lamb into small pieces about 2 to 3-inches each. Large pieces will take longer to cook
- Cook the onions until caramelized and cook on low to avoid burning. There is a huge difference in flavor when you cook the lamb with just sauteed onions compared to caramelized onions.
- Do not skip the cooking time after adding each ingredient. Indian curry is about adding layers of flavor so don't make haste.
- I prefer to use Greek yogurt because it is thicker. If you use regular yogurt you may need to reduce some of the cooking liquid.
- If you use a Dutch oven you will not need any extra cooking liquid. For other pans, you may need to add ¼ to ½ cup of water every time you stir to prevent burning
- See the ingredients and substitutes above if you don't have the spices.
- Pressure cooking- Instead of using a dutch oven, saute in the stovetop pressure cooker or instant pot. Once you have sauteed all the ingredients. Pressure cook on medium heat for 40 to 45 minutes in a stovetop pressure cooker.
- Instant pot - set the instant pot to manual. Saute then pressure cook on high for 25 minutes, then use manual release.
More lamb recipes
Is mutton rogan josh spicy?
The authentic lamb rogan josh can be spicy but this one is not too spicy. In fact, I make it less spicy by using more sweet paprika for the color instead of all cayenne. The sweet smoked paprika gives the rogan josh that beautiful color.
Can I use other meats to make Rogan Josh?
You can use lamb or mutton and if that does not work for you, you can also use chicken. Call it chicken Rogan Josh. It's still delish.
Can I make this with coconut yogurt?
Rogan josh is made with dairy yogurt. And yet, if you can't use dairy yoghurt you can use coconut yogurt. Also, the dish will have the flavor of coconut, which is wonderful too.
What can I serve this lamb with?
We love to serve this lamb rogan josh with basmati rice and homemade naan or butter naan. Sometimes, I serve it with fruit and nuts rice pilaf. My mom would make mutton rogan josh and serve it with fresh homemade chapati.
Printable Recipe
Lamb Rogan Josh
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save Grow Difficulty: Medium
Diet : GF, NF
Calories: 447kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 8 servings
Description
This Indian classic lamb rogan josh is made with mutton or lamb cooked with yogurt sauce and caramelized onions. Wonderful Indian spices perfume the lamb with rich authentic flavors, aroma, and color.
Video
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (1 kg) Lamb (sliced shoulder or leg)
- 1 lb (500 g) Onions (sliced, )
- 2 tablespoon Oil (or ghee)
- ½ cup Cilantro (for garnish)
Marinade
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper powder
- 8 large (2 tablespoon) Fresh garlic cloves ( minced)
- 3 inch (2 tablespoon) Fresh ginger (fresh grated)
- 1 cup (250 ml) Greek yogurt (plain)
- 2 tablespoon Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin powder
- 2 tablespoon Sweet smoked paprika (or Kashmir chili powder)
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (or more sweet smoked paprika)
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
Whole spices for saute
- 6 Green cardamoms
- 4 Black cardamoms
- 1 Stick cinnamon
- 4 Cloves
- ½ Star anise
- 2 Bay leaves
Instructions
- Lamb - Trim off excess fat and cut lamb into 2 to 3-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and ginger and combine well. Pro tip - you want the lamb to be about bite size but not too small so it breaks apart during cooking or too large as it takes longer to cook on the stovetop.1 teaspoon Kosher salt, 8 large Fresh garlic cloves, 3 inch Fresh ginger, ½ teaspoon Black pepper powder
- Marinade - Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl, and combine well.2 lbs Lamb, 1 cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoon Coriander powder, 1 teaspoon Ground cumin powder, 2 tablespoon Sweet smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder, 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- Then, add lamb to the marinade and set it aside to marinate for an hour on the counter or in the fridge overnight.Pro tip - always use glass or stainless steel to marinate. Do not use aluminum as it can oxidize with the acid in the marinade. Avoid plastic as it can get stained from the spices.
- Whole spice - Add the spices to a mortar and pestle. Lightly pound to crush them – you want the cardamoms to open and the cinnamon a bit smaller.Pro tip - you can open the cardamom with a knife and leave the cinnamon whole if you don't want the flavor to be too strong.
- In a dutch oven or heavy-bottom saute pan add one tablespoon of oil or ghee. Saute the whole spices for a minute.2 tablespoon Oil, 6 Green cardamoms, 4 Black cardamoms, 1 Stick cinnamon, 4 Cloves, ½ Star anise, 2 Bay leaves
- Then add the onions with a pinch of salt. Saute onions until lightly golden – about 5 to 7 minutes.Pro tip - caramelizing the onions in this recipe is very important so don't make haste and don't cook on very high heat. We want the onions caramelized not burnt.1 lb Onions
- Once the onions have been caramelized add the marinated lamb and remaining oil/ghee.Pro tip - if the lamb you are using has excess fat you can omit the extra oil or ghee.
- Cook on high for 2 minutes while stirring constantly until the meat is no longer pink. Pro tip - the high heat will sear the meat on all sides keeping the pieces moist inside.
- Next, add ½ cup water and let come to a boil. Cover the pan, lower the heat, and let simmer on medium-low until the lamb is cooked to fork-tender.Pro tip - If necessary add a little more water as needed. Alternatively, you can add 1 cup of water and cook it with gravy.
- When the lamb is fork-tender taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro.½ cup Cilantro
- Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Use lamb cuts such as lamb shoulder, leg of lamb, or stew meat when making curry.
- Today, I am using boneless but lamb with bones is ideal for making curry as the marrow in the bones adds more flavor.
- Cut the lamb into small pieces about 2 to 3-inches each. Large pieces will take longer to cook
- Cook the onions until caramelized and cook on low to avoid burning. There is a huge difference in flavor when you cook the lamb with just sauteed onions compared to caramelized onions.
- Do not skip the cooking time after adding each ingredient. Indian curry is about adding layers of flavor so don't make haste.
- I prefer to use Greek yogurt because it is thicker. If you use regular yogurt you may need to reduce some of the cooking liquid.
- If you use a Dutch oven you will not need any extra cooking liquid. For other pans, you may need to add ¼ to ½ cup of water every time you stir to prevent burning
- See the ingredients and substitutes above if you don't have the spices.
- Pressure cooking- Instead of using a dutch oven, saute in the stovetop pressure cooker or instant pot.
- Once you have sauteed all the ingredients. Pressure cook on medium heat for 40 to 45 minutes in a stovetop pressure cooker.
- Instant pot - set the instant pot to manual. Saute then pressure cook on high for 25 minutes, then use manual release.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 447- kcalCarbohydrates: 11- gProtein: 25- gFat: 34- gSaturated Fat: 13- gCholesterol: 93- mgSodium: 236- mgPotassium: 501- mgFiber: 3- gSugar: 4- gVitamin A: 945- IUVitamin C: 8.3- mgCalcium: 95- mgIron: 3.2- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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CJ
I followed this recipe without really thinking about it, and it wasn’t until after I’d made it that I realized that there absolutely shouldn’t be paprika in it. I realize I should have paid more attention and left it out of the dish before it was too late, but regardless, why on earth is it in the recipe to begin with? It makes the flavor completely inauthentic.
Veena Azmanov
CJ -the paprika is optional for color. You can omit it! But, it does give a deeper red color
C Del
Than you for this recipe! I would like to make this in my crock pot as simply as possible. I will be using a leg of lamb which is about 4.5 lbs so will double ingredients. I will sauté onions then add all ingredients (including garam masala) to the pot except the yogurt which I will add about 15 minutes before serving. My questions are:
Will this work?
If I put the lamb in whole will it shred like pork does or do I need to cut it up prior to cooking?
How long on “low” should I cook this double batch.?
Curious why there are no tomatoes in your recipe. I thought that was standard in Rogan Josh.
Veena Azmanov
yes, you can make this in the crockpot. If you put a whole lamb leg it may not shred but it will become soft depending on how long you cook it.
I suggest either 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low. I usually do overnight for a leg of lamb.
Yes, add the yogurt in the last half hour would work. You can use tomatoes if you fancy. I just find that yogurt and tomatoes sometimes can make it sour.
Thanks