Can you make Rogan Josh with beef?

Yes, I've used this exact same recipe with beef in place of lamb and it's fantastic! Use beef chuck or some other stew meat with a relatively high fat content.

Can you make Rogan Josh with bone-in lamb?

Yes, absolutely, in fact bone-in lamb is traditional for Rogan Josh. To go "bone-in," use 2 pounds boneless lamb plus 2 pounds lamb shoulder chops. Two pounds of shoulder chops typically yield about 1 pound of meat, which brings you to the 3 pounds of boneless lamb the recipe calls for. Brown the chops along with the boneless lamb or, if you prefer, you can remove the meat from the bones and cut it into cubes first. As long as you add the bones and simmer them in the curry, they’ll add wonderful flavor and richness.

Should you marinate the lamb for Rogan Josh?

Some recipes call for marinating the lamb in yogurt, tomato paste, and spices. I tested this on my first attempt and loved the result, but when I skipped the marinade in later tests, the Rogan Josh was just as tender and flavorful. So in the end, I opted for the simpler, quicker method without a marinade.

Is it worth adding ratan jot?

Traditional recipes often call for incorporating ratan jot , which is a root that releases a natural dye that gives Rogan Josh a vibrant red color. I tried it for one of my test runs and it did deepen the color of the dish, but there was no substantive difference in flavor. If you're optimizing for authenticity, give it a try. You can source it <a href="https://www.amazon.com/RATANJOT-Root-Alkanna-tinctoria-ALKANET/dp/B099859BYQ/ref=sr_1_2?adgrpid=184736528845&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Cy5Kes_ti32bhRtOqZZdkvNh1w1a1UhiMaeudqPuuLsV5LILn0ZUbwXvWQkKjDE5ExQHD1rHOw2WiUdxhzq90jwSKwni7ghAPbVjFoh22UNIBEFqhuavRuPHeXJ0d_Ihb5CciQmJo4gp6M7absGxAypjohMZz8es-VM-839NEYCBC1ZBfnIXXlyA9ondJeZp.SSIlvY8A_tQZCfrISGiHrB0a48If9sI6n_iDZua5wmY&dib_tag=se&hvadid=779581916089&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9002514&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=3522373122909946706--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3522373122909946706&hvtargid=kwd-328149723587&hydadcr=8304_13829793_235759&keywords=ratan+jot&mcid=32e2374270ff312190eddde3dbddd93e&qid=1765374758&s=grocery&sr=1-2">on Amazon . Essentially, you steep it in hot ghee or oil and add it toward the end of the cooking process. 2-3 tablespoons of the strained liquid from steeping the root will do the trick.

Rogan Josh

Name: Rogan Josh Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons ghee (see notes) or unsalted butter; 1 3-inch cinnamon stick; 6 whole cloves; 6 green cardamom pods, slightly bruised; 2 bay leaves; 2 medium yellow onions, chopped; 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed; 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root; 3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut in to 1-inch cubes (to use bone-in lamb, see notes); 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 4 teaspoons garam masala; 4 teaspoons paprika (see notes); 1 tablespoon ground fennel seed; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 2 teaspoons ground coriander; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (see notes); 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 cup tomato paste; 1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock; 1/2 cup plain, full-fat yogurt; 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, optional garnish

Description

Restaurant-quality Rogan Josh (Indian lamb curry) with exceptionally tender lamb, warm Kashmiri spices, and a deep red curry sauce bursting with flavor. The ingredient list may be long, but everything is easy to find and the recipe is far simpler than it looks - resulting in a very special dish, worthy of a dinner party or holiday feast.

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 tablespoons ghee (see notes) or unsalted butter
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
6 green cardamom pods, slightly bruised
2 bay leaves
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut in to 1-inch cubes (to use bone-in lamb, see notes)
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 teaspoons garam masala
4 teaspoons paprika (see notes)
1 tablespoon ground fennel seed
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (see notes)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock
1/2 cup plain, full-fat yogurt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, optional garnish

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Instructions

Sauté Whole Spices
Heat ghee in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot and add whole spices: cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and cardamom pods. Sauté on medium heat, stirring, for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Sauté Aromatics
Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger and cook, stirring, for another minute or so.
Brown The Lamb
Add lamb and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned on all sides, 6-8 minutes.
Add Ground Spices and Tomato Paste
Add all the ground spices: garam masala, paprika, fennel, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne and black pepper. Stir them through to coat the meat, then add the tomato paste and stir through and continue to cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes.
Simmer the Curry
Pour in water (or stock). Bring to a boil and then immediately reduce a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and cook for an hour and 45 minutes.
Add The Yogurt and Finish Cooking
Place the yogurt in a small bowl. Ladle in about ¼ cup of the hot sauce from the pot and whisk until smooth. Gradually stir this mixture back into the curry. Simmer gently for another 15-20 minutes, covered, until the lamb is very tender.
To Serve
Before serving, remove bay leaves, cinnamon stick and any of the cardamom pods that are easy to find. If some remain in the pot, let diners know to look out for them. They're harmless to eat but quite strong in flavor.
Serve the Rogan Josh with basmati or pilau rice, raita and warm naan. Garnish with chopped cilantro if you like.

Notes

Make your own ghee: It's easy to do and takes about 30 minutes. All you need is butter and a small saucepan.
Make this with bone-in lamb: use 2 pounds boneless lamb plus 2 pounds lamb shoulder chops. Two pounds of shoulder chops typically yield about 1 pound of meat, giving you the 3 pounds of boneless lamb the recipe calls for. Brown the chops along with the boneless lamb in Step #3. If you prefer, you can remove the meat from the bones and cut it into cubes first - just be sure to add the bones to the pot. As long as the bones simmer in the curry, they’ll add wonderful flavor and richness.
For added authenticity, use 1-1/2 tablespoons of Kashmiri chili powder (Deggi Mirch) in place of paprika and cayenne pepper.
Nutrition Information: We do our best to provide accurate nutrition values using an online nutrition calculator however our nutrition information should only be used as an approximation.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Category: Dinner, Main Dish
Method: simmer
Cuisine: Indian