Mutton Rogan Josh Recipe

Mutton Rogan Josh Recipe with step by step pictures. This Kashmiri Lamb Rogan Josh Recipe is made with Mutton and Masala. Succulent lamb cooked in a tangy red sauce.

Rogan Josh

I have heard about rogan josh before and tasted it in one of the restaurant i visited, but never thought of cooking it at home. Whenever I order it in restaurant here, then serve it just like normal curry, it is made using an onion tomato base. But i have heard that rogan josh needs no onion, garlic, tomato. It is made with plain yogurt and spice powders. One day a viewer requested it and i decided to give it a try.

About Rogan Josh

I wanted to make it the authentic way and use only yogurt and spice powders. Luckily i had all the spices on hands specially black cardamom which i bought months back when i visited nuts and spices in chennai. It is a must spice because it gives the aroma and flavour to the dish. 

What is Rogan Josh?

Rogan josh should be red in colour thats why it is called as rogan josh because once you finish making this curry the rogan the red oil should float on top of the curry. In the authentic recipe they add a root of a herb called as rattan jot which gives the red colour to it. The spices which are added in this curry is must because that what makes rogan josh, rogan josh. 

Since I don't have that and it is difficult to find that for us. I suggest you to buy Kashmiri red chilli powder and add it in this curry which gives the red colour naturally. Some people will add a touch of saffron in this too. But I didn't add. I kept it plain and simple. This curry taste best when served with hot steamed rice, naan or paratha.

Similar Recipes,

Kashmiri Dum Aloo

Mutton Kuzhambu

Mutton Curry

Watch Lamb Rogan Josh Video

Rogan Josh Ingredients

Mutton | Lamb - Use young tender lamb pieces for making rogan josh, so it cooks faster and softer. You can try this with chicken as well. Make sure you use lamb with bone-in for better flavour.

Lemon Juice - this is added into the lamb with salt to remove the raw meat smell. it also helps tenderizing the meat.

Garam Masala Powder - added in the end to add a fresh spicy aroma to the dish.

Ghee | Clarified Butter - cooking the whole dish in ghee helps adds flavour and enhance the spices quality as well.

Whole Spices - cinnamon, green cardamom, black cardamom, cloves, ginger, pepper, asafoetida, fennel are the whole spices used in whole form as well as powdered form.

Curd | Plain Yogurt - use thick natural yogurt which has a slight tart taste to it which balance the taste.

Kashmiri Chilli Powder - In the authentic recipe they add a root of a herb called as rattan jot which gives the red colour to it. Since it is hard to find, I use kashmiri chilli powder for the colour.

How to make Rogan Josh at Home

Marinating Lamb

Take mutton in a bowl. Add salt and lemon juice. Mix well, leave it to marinate overnight or 2 hours or you can cook it straight away like i did.

Pre-preparation

Take curd in a bowl and whisk till it is smooth. Add in all the ingredients given for paste.Mix well and set aside.

Searing Lamb for Rogan Josh

Now heat ghee in a pot. Add in all the tempering ingredients and saute for a min. Add in mutton few at a time and brown the meat. This will take around 2 to 3 mins per batch. As the mutton browns remove it to a plate and continue with the next batch. When you are browning the last batch, add all the browned mutton in and let it all heat through.

Cooking Rogan Josh

Now add in the curd mix and mix well. Let this cook and brown for 10 mins. Add in water and mix well. Add more salt if needed. Now bring everything to a boil, cover the pot and simmer for 2 hours. Once it is cooked and the meat falls off the bone, turn off the heat and serve with rice or roti.

How to Make Rogan Josh (stepwise pictures)

Making Yogurt Marinate

1)Take thick yogurt in a bowl. This is the base for the gravy.

2)Add in Kashmiri chilli powder, this provides slight heat and bright red colour to the dish.

3)Add in crushed green cardamom. I slightly crushed them in my mortar and pestle.

4)Add in crushed black cardamom. This adds a slight smoky flavour.

5)I added some crushed cloves. Don't use too much cloves, it has to be subtle.

6)Add in ground ginger. This adds a spicy kick to the gravy.

7)Add in fennel seed powder. The fennel adds a sweet tone to the dish.

8)Finally add in the black pepper powder and mix well.

9)Make sure you add some salt into the marinate. This is your spicy marinate. Set this aside till needed.

Marinating Mutton (Lamb)

10)Take mutton pieces in a bowl. You should use bone-in mutton or lamb.

11)Add in lemon juice to the mutton pieces.

12)Season the lamb with salt.

13)Mix well and set this aside for 10 to 15 minutes.

Tempering Spices

14)For making rogan josh. Heat ghee in a deep pot. Let the ghee heat till it gets hot.

15)You can use oil instead of ghee but I recommend ghee for the flavour to the dish.

16)Add in whole spices and let them sizzle. I am using cinnamon, bay leaf.

17)Add in black cardamom and green cardamom.

18)Add in a good pinch of asafoetida.

19)This dish doesn't has onions or tomatoes so the aroma comes from the whole spices. Never skip on those.

20)Fry the whole spices in ghee till it is sizzled.

Browning the Lamb

21)Now add in the mutton or lamb in batches and let them fry and get brown.

22)This is what you are looking for, The meat should be seared well.

23)Remove the meat to a plate and set aside.

24)repeat this in batches. Sear the meat and set aside.

25)Once the last batch is seared. Return all the seared meat into the pot.

Cooking Rogan Josh

26)Now add the meat back into the pot. Fry it so it gets heated through.

27)Add in the yogurt sauce into the lamb.

28)Mix it well so the yogurt is coated with the lamb.

29)Fry it on low for few minutes. so the spices gets coated well.

30)Add in garam masala powder.

31)Pour in little water so the lamb can get cooked.

32)Mix well.

33)Now bring everything to a boil, cover the pot and simmer for 2 hours.

34)Now the meat is completely cooked through. If you want to cook faster, you can cook in pressure cooker. Check below for details.

35)Serve rogan josh with paratha or roti.

Expert Tips

• Browning the meat imparts maximum flavours in rogan josh so take your time and sear it.
• Make sure you brown(sear) the meat in batches.
• Slowing cooking the meat till falls off the bone makes it so tasty.
• Make sure you adjust the water if you need so that the curry doesn't dry up.
• Making rogan josh takes time and needs patience. 

Serving & Storage

Rogan Josh taste amazing with rice or roti. Some of the popular dishes which rogan josh is served are Kashmiri pulao, Garlic Naan, Coriander Naan, Roti or jeera rice.

Rogan josh can be stored in an air tight container in fridge and reheated in microwave or stove top as required.

Instant Pot Lamb Rogan Josh

• Place the insert inside the instant pot. Set mode to saute mode.
• Proceed cooking as mentioned in the recipe, but tempering whole spices and browning the meat.
• Once everything is combined. Cover the instant pot and set the mode to pressure cook and pressure cook for 10 mins on high. Let the instant pot release pressure on itself. 
• Open the cooker and serve.

Pressure Cooker Rogan Josh

1. Instead of cooking the whole thing in a pot for 2 hours.
2. You can transfer the whole thing to a pressure cooker. Cook for 5 whistle, simmer the pot and cook for 15 mins.
3. Turn off the heat and let the steam go all by itself. Open the cooker and mix well and
4. serve.

FAQ

What ingredients are in a rogan josh?

Whole spices like green and black cardamom, cinnamon, dry red chillies, ghee, lamb are important in rogan josh.

What is rogan josh signature dish?

 “Rogan” means “red” in Hindi, and “josh” refers to fiery or hot. So it is basically a lamb stew with a red oil floating on top.

What is rogan josh sauce made of?

Rogan josh consists of pieces of lamb or mutton braised with a gravy flavoured with garlic, ginger and aromatic spices (clove, bay leaves, cardamom, and cinnamon), and in some versions incorporating onions.

More Lamb Recipes to Try

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