Rogan Josh

Rogan Josh

The jewel of Kashmiri cuisine: bone-in lamb slow-braised in a deep red sauce of Kashmiri chillies, fennel and cardamom. Rich and aromatic rather than fiery.

Prep

20 min

Cook

110 min

Total

130 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •900 g (2 lb) bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into 5 cm / 2 in pieces, fat trimmed
• •250 g (1 cup) plain whole-milk yoghurt, whisked smooth
• •30 g (¼ cup) Kashmiri red chilli powder, gives colour without heavy heat; do not substitute cayenne freely
• •120 ml (½ cup) mustard oil, traditional; substitute grapeseed or sunflower oil if unavailable
• •10 g (2 tsp) whole green cardamom pods
• •5 g (1 tsp) whole black cardamom pods, smoky depth; optional but authentic
• •4 g (1 stick) cassia bark or cinnamon
• •6 g (2 tsp) fennel seeds
• •2 g (1 tsp) whole cloves
• •5 g (1 heaped tbsp) fresh ginger, finely grated
• •6 g (1 heaped tbsp) garlic, crushed to a paste
• •3 g (1 tsp) salt, adjust to taste
• •2 g (1 tsp) dried ginger powder (sonth), traditional warming note
• •2 g (1 tsp) asafoetida, a pinch; skip if unavailable
• •250 ml (1 cup) hot water, as needed
• •10 g (¼ cup) fresh cilantro, to garnish

Steps

1. 1 Pat the lamb dry. In a small bowl, mix the grated ginger, garlic paste, 2 tsp salt and the Kashmiri chilli powder into a thick paste; rub all over the lamb and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
2. 2 Heat the mustard oil in a heavy pot over medium-high until it just begins to smoke, then reduce the heat to medium. (If using a neutral oil, simply heat until shimmering.)
3. 3 Add the cardamom, black cardamom if using, cassia, fennel seeds and cloves. Fry for 30–40 seconds until the fennel darkens slightly and the spices smell fragrant.
4. 4 Add the marinated lamb and sear on all sides for 6–8 minutes until the pieces are lightly browned and the oil begins to separate at the edges.
5. 5 Sprinkle in the dried ginger powder and asafoetida, stir for 10 seconds, then pour in the whisked yoghurt a little at a time, stirring constantly so it blends into the spices without splitting.
6. 6 Add 250 ml hot water, bring to a brisk simmer, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook gently for 75–90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes and adding a splash of hot water if the sauce reduces too quickly.
7. 7 The lamb is done when a fork slips into the meat with no resistance and the sauce is thick, glossy and a deep brick red, with oil pooling at the surface. Internal temperature on a probe should read at least 85 °C / 185 °F in the thickest piece for fall-apart lamb.
8. 8 Skim excess surface oil if desired, taste for salt, and finish with the chopped cilantro. Rest 5 minutes before serving with steamed basmati rice or warm naan.