Lamb Rogan Josh

Name: Lamb Rogan Josh
Total time: 3 h 1 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: indian
Ingredients: 900 g Lamb shoulder; 200 g Plain whole-milk yogurt; 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder; 0.5 tsp Ground turmeric; 1 tsp Salt; 300 g White onion; 6 clove Garlic; 40 g Fresh ginger; 300 g Plum tomatoes; 60 ml Ghee; 3 piece black cardamom pods; 6 piece Green cardamom pods; 5 piece Cloves; 2 piece Cinnamon stick; 3 piece Bay leaf; 1 tsp Black peppercorns; 1 tsp Fennel seeds; 2 tsp Ground coriander; 1 tsp Ground cumin; 0.5 tsp ground cardamom; 1 tsp Salt; 150 ml Water; 1.5 tsp Garam masala; 15 g fresh coriander

3 hr 1 min · 56 min active · makes ~2.05 kg · Medium

Tender lamb braised in aromatic spices with plum tomatoes, warming cloves and cinnamon create depth in this classic curry for four.

See more →

Lamb Rogan Josh

Tender lamb braised in aromatic spices with plum tomatoes, warming cloves and cinnamon create depth in this classic curry for four.

See more →

TOTAL TIME

3 hr 1 min

ACTIVE TIME

56 min

QUANTITY

~2.05 kg

DIFFICULTY

Medium

CUISINE

—

Who’s eating

Cooking for A typical adult.

This should leave everyone comfortably full.

Portions & fullness

Ingredients0/23

Tools0/18

Ingredients

0/23 gathered · 4 servings

900g

200g

2tsp

0.5tsp

2tsp

300g

6clove

40g

300g

60ml

3piece

6piece

5piece

2piece

3piece

1tsp

2tsp

1tsp

0.5tsp

150ml

1.5tsp

15g

#	Quantity	Notes	State
1	900g	—	—
2	200g	—	—
3	2tsp	—	—
4	0.5tsp	—	—
5	2tsp	—	—
6	300g	—	—
7	6clove	—	—
8	40g	—	—
9	300g	—	—
10	60ml	—	—
11	3piece	—	—
12	6piece	—	—
13	5piece	—	—
14	2piece	—	—
15	3piece	—	—
16	1tsp	—	—
17	1tsp	—	—
18	2tsp	—	—
19	1tsp	—	—
20	0.5tsp	—	—
21	150ml	—	—
22	1.5tsp	—	—
23	15g	—	—

Tools

20 items

Serveware

1 item

Procedure

60 steps

1 of 60

Place the lamb shoulder on the chopping board.

Lamb shoulder · 900 g

⏱ 10s

ResultLamb shoulder

2 of 60

Cut the lamb into roughly 4 cm chunks, trimming away any very large pieces of excess fat.

Lamb shoulder · step 1

⏱ 2 min

ResultLamb chunksused in step 8

3 of 60

Spoon the yogurt into the large bowl.

Plain whole-milk yogurt · 200 g

⏱ 5s

ResultPlain whole-milk yogurt

4 of 60

Add the Kashmiri red chilli powder to the yogurt.

Kashmiri chilli powder · 2 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultPlain whole-milk yogurt and kashmiri red chilli powder

5 of 60

Add the ground turmeric to the bowl.

Ground turmeric · 0.5 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultPlain whole-milk yogurt and kashmiri red chilli powder and ground turmeric

6 of 60

Add the salt to the bowl.

Salt · 1 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultPlain whole-milk yogurt and kashmiri red chilli powder mixture

7 of 60

Stir everything together until the yogurt is evenly coloured and the spices are well combined.

⏱ 20s

ResultSpiced yogurt marinade

8 of 60

Add the lamb chunks to the spiced yogurt marinade.

Lamb chunks · step 2

⏱ 15s

ResultLamb chunks and spiced yogurt marinade

9 of 60

Turn the lamb with tongs until every piece is well coated in the yogurt mixture.

⏱ 30s

ResultMarinated lamb

10 of 60

Cover the bowl tightly with cling film.

⏱ 10s

11 of 60

Place the covered bowl in the refrigerator.

⏱ 10s

ResultMarinated lamb

12 of 60

Leave the lamb to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight for best results.

⏱ 1 hr

ResultYogurt-marinated lamb

13 of 60

Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let the lamb come toward room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

⏱ 10s

ResultYogurt-marinated lambused in step 50

14 of 60

Place the onions on the chopping board.

White onion · 300 g

⏱ 10s

ResultWhite onion

15 of 60

Peel the onions and discard the papery skins.

White onion · step 14

⏱ 30s

ResultPeeled onion

16 of 60

Finely chop the peeled onions into small, even pieces.

Peeled onion · step 15

⏱ 1 min

ResultFinely chopped white onion

17 of 60

Scrape the chopped onion into the small bowl and set aside.

Finely chopped white onion · step 16

⏱ 10s

ResultFinely chopped white onionused in step 40

18 of 60

Place the garlic cloves on the chopping board.

Garlic · 6 clove

⏱ 10s

ResultGarlic

19 of 60

Crush each clove lightly with the flat of the knife blade and slip off the skins.

Garlic · step 18

⏱ 30s

ResultPeeled garlic cloves

20 of 60

Mince the peeled garlic cloves finely into a paste-like pile.

Peeled garlic cloves · step 19

⏱ 40s

ResultFinely minced garlic

21 of 60

Scrape the minced garlic into the second small bowl.

Finely minced garlic · step 20

⏱ 10s

ResultFinely minced garlic

22 of 60

Place the ginger on the chopping board.

Fresh ginger · 40 g

⏱ 10s

ResultFresh ginger

23 of 60

Peel the ginger with a peeler or the edge of a spoon.

Fresh ginger · step 22

⏱ 20s

ResultPeeled fresh ginger

24 of 60

Grate the peeled ginger on the fine side of the grater into a small pile.

Peeled fresh ginger · step 23

⏱ 30s

ResultFinely grated fresh ginger

25 of 60

Add the grated ginger to the small bowl with the minced garlic and stir briefly to combine.

Finely grated fresh ginger · step 24

⏱ 10s

ResultFinely grated fresh ginger and finely minced garlicused in step 42

26 of 60

Place the plum tomatoes on the chopping board.

Plum tomatoes · 300 g

⏱ 10s

ResultPlum tomatoes

27 of 60

Roughly chop the plum tomatoes into irregular chunks, keeping any juices.

Plum tomatoes · step 26

⏱ 40s

ResultRoughly chopped plum tomatoes

28 of 60

Scrape the chopped tomatoes and their juices into the medium bowl.

Roughly chopped plum tomatoes · step 27

⏱ 10s

ResultRoughly chopped plum tomatoesused in step 48

29 of 60

Spoon the ghee into the large heavy-based saucepan.

Ghee · 60 ml

⏱ 10s

ResultGhee

30 of 60

Set the pan over a medium-high heat and warm the ghee until it shimmers and a pinch of spice dropped in sizzles immediately.

⏱ 1 min

ResultHot Ghee

31 of 60

Add the black cardamom pods to the hot ghee.

Black cardamom pods · 3 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultHot ghee and black cardamom pods

32 of 60

Add the green cardamom pods to the pan.

Green cardamom pods · 6 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultHot ghee and black cardamom pods and green cardamom pods

33 of 60

Add the cloves to the pan.

Cloves · 5 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultHot ghee and black cardamom pod mixture

34 of 60

Add the cinnamon sticks to the pan.

Cinnamon stick · 2 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultHot ghee and black cardamom pod mixture

35 of 60

Add the bay leaves to the pan.

Bay leaf · 3 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultHot ghee and black cardamom pod mixture

36 of 60

Tip the black peppercorns into the pepper mill and grind them into the small bowl until finely ground.

Black peppercorns · 1 tsp

⏱ 20s

ResultFreshly ground black pepper

37 of 60

Add the freshly ground black pepper to the pan.

Freshly ground black pepper · step 36

⏱ 5s

ResultHot ghee and black cardamom pod mixture

38 of 60

Add the fennel seeds to the pan.

Fennel seeds · 1 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultHot ghee and black cardamom pod mixture

39 of 60

Stir the whole spices constantly for about 1 minute until the cardamom puffs slightly and the mixture is intensely fragrant.

⏱ 1 min

ResultBloomed whole spices

40 of 60

Add the finely chopped onion to the pan with the bloomed spices.

Finely chopped white onion · step 17

⏱ 10s

ResultFinely chopped white onion and bloomed whole spices

41 of 60

Stir and cook the onion over a medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan regularly, for 15 minutes until it is a deep, even golden brown with no raw smell remaining.

⏱ 15 min

ResultDeeply golden onion base

42 of 60

Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the golden onion base.

Finely grated fresh ginger and finely minced garlic · step 25

⏱ 10s

ResultDeeply golden onion base and finely grated fresh ginger and finely minced garlic

43 of 60

Stir and fry the garlic and ginger into the onion for 2 minutes, scraping the pan constantly, until the raw garlic smell has gone and the mixture smells nutty and sweet.

⏱ 2 min

ResultFragrant onion, garlic and ginger base

44 of 60

Add the ground coriander to the pan.

Ground coriander · 2 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultFragrant onion and garlic mixture

45 of 60

Add the ground cumin to the pan.

Ground cumin · 1 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultFragrant onion and garlic mixture

46 of 60

Add the ground cardamom to the pan.

Ground cardamom · 0.5 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultFragrant onion and garlic mixture

47 of 60

Stir the ground spices vigorously into the onion base and cook for 1 minute until the mixture smells toasty and the spices have darkened slightly.

⏱ 1 min

ResultSpiced onion base

48 of 60

Tip the roughly chopped tomatoes and all their juices into the pan.

Roughly chopped plum tomatoes · step 28

⏱ 10s

ResultRoughly chopped plum tomatoes and spiced masala base

49 of 60

Stir and cook the tomatoes over a medium heat for 10 minutes, crushing them with the back of the spoon, until the mixture reduces to a thick, jammy paste and the ghee begins to pool at the edges.

⏱ 10 min

ResultThick tomato masala

50 of 60

Add the yogurt-marinated lamb to the pan, scraping in every bit of yogurt marinade.

Yogurt-marinated lamb · step 13

⏱ 15s

ResultThick tomato masala and yogurt-marinated lamb

51 of 60

Add the remaining salt to the pan.

Salt · 1 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultThick tomato masala and yogurt-marinated lamb and salt

52 of 60

Stir the lamb firmly into the masala until every piece is well coated and combined with the spiced sauce.

⏱ 30s

ResultLamb coated in masala

53 of 60

Cook the lamb over a high heat, stirring and turning frequently, for 8 minutes until the marinade has cooked down and the meat has taken on a little colour on the outside.

⏱ 8 min

ResultMasala-seared lamb

54 of 60

Pour the water into the pan and stir to lift any sticky bits from the bottom.

Water · 150 ml

⏱ 10s

ResultMasala-seared lamb and water

55 of 60

Stir everything together well, scraping the base of the pan clean, so the lamb is submerged in the sauce.

⏱ 30s

ResultLamb rogan josh with stock

56 of 60

Place the lid firmly on the saucepan.

⏱ 10s

57 of 60

Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the lamb is completely tender and falls apart when pressed with a spoon, checking occasionally and adding a splash of water if the sauce looks too dry.

⏱ 1 hr 30 min

ResultBraised lamb rogan josh

58 of 60

Leave the lid off and let the curry bubble uncovered for 5 minutes so the sauce tightens and coats the lamb.

⏱ 5 min

ResultReduced lamb rogan josh

59 of 60

Sprinkle the garam masala over the surface of the curry.

Garam masala · 1.5 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultReduced lamb rogan josh and garam masala

60 of 60

Stir the garam masala gently through the curry and simmer uncovered for a further 5 minutes to let the sauce thicken and the final spices bloom.

⏱ 5 min

ResultFinished lamb rogan josh

Total Time3 hr 1 min

#	Product	Action
1	900 g	Place the lamb shoulder on the chopping board.⏱ 10sResultLamb shoulder
2	Lamb shoulderstep 1	Cut the lamb into roughly 4 cm chunks, trimming away any very large pieces of excess fat.⏱ 2 minResultLamb chunksused in step 8
3	200 g	Spoon the yogurt into the large bowl.⏱ 5sResultPlain whole-milk yogurt
4	2 tsp	Add the Kashmiri red chilli powder to the yogurt.⏱ 5sResultPlain whole-milk yogurt and kashmiri red chilli powder
5	0.5 tsp	Add the ground turmeric to the bowl.⏱ 5sResultPlain whole-milk yogurt and kashmiri red chilli powder and ground turmeric
6	1 tsp	Add the salt to the bowl.⏱ 5sResultPlain whole-milk yogurt and kashmiri red chilli powder mixture
7	—	Stir everything together until the yogurt is evenly coloured and the spices are well combined.⏱ 20sResultSpiced yogurt marinade
8	Lamb chunksstep 2	Add the lamb chunks to the spiced yogurt marinade.⏱ 15sResultLamb chunks and spiced yogurt marinade
9	—	Turn the lamb with tongs until every piece is well coated in the yogurt mixture.⏱ 30sResultMarinated lamb
10	—	Cover the bowl tightly with cling film.⏱ 10s
11	—	Place the covered bowl in the refrigerator.⏱ 10sResultMarinated lamb
12	—	Leave the lamb to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight for best results.⏱ 1 hrResultYogurt-marinated lamb
13	—	Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let the lamb come toward room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients.⏱ 10sResultYogurt-marinated lambused in step 50
14	300 g	Place the onions on the chopping board.⏱ 10sResultWhite onion
15	White onionstep 14	Peel the onions and discard the papery skins.⏱ 30sResultPeeled onion
16	Peeled onionstep 15	Finely chop the peeled onions into small, even pieces.⏱ 1 minResultFinely chopped white onion
17	Finely chopped white onionstep 16	Scrape the chopped onion into the small bowl and set aside.⏱ 10sResultFinely chopped white onionused in step 40
18	6 clove	Place the garlic cloves on the chopping board.⏱ 10sResultGarlic
19	Garlicstep 18	Crush each clove lightly with the flat of the knife blade and slip off the skins.⏱ 30sResultPeeled garlic cloves
20	Peeled garlic clovesstep 19	Mince the peeled garlic cloves finely into a paste-like pile.⏱ 40sResultFinely minced garlic
21	Finely minced garlicstep 20	Scrape the minced garlic into the second small bowl.⏱ 10sResultFinely minced garlic
22	40 g	Place the ginger on the chopping board.⏱ 10sResultFresh ginger
23	Fresh gingerstep 22	Peel the ginger with a peeler or the edge of a spoon.⏱ 20sResultPeeled fresh ginger
24	Peeled fresh gingerstep 23	Grate the peeled ginger on the fine side of the grater into a small pile.⏱ 30sResultFinely grated fresh ginger
25	Finely grated fresh gingerstep 24	Add the grated ginger to the small bowl with the minced garlic and stir briefly to combine.⏱ 10sResultFinely grated fresh ginger and finely minced garlicused in step 42
26	300 g	Place the plum tomatoes on the chopping board.⏱ 10sResultPlum tomatoes
27	Plum tomatoesstep 26	Roughly chop the plum tomatoes into irregular chunks, keeping any juices.⏱ 40sResultRoughly chopped plum tomatoes
28	Roughly chopped plum tomatoesstep 27	Scrape the chopped tomatoes and their juices into the medium bowl.⏱ 10sResultRoughly chopped plum tomatoesused in step 48
29	60 ml	Spoon the ghee into the large heavy-based saucepan.⏱ 10sResultGhee
30	—	Set the pan over a medium-high heat and warm the ghee until it shimmers and a pinch of spice dropped in sizzles immediately.⏱ 1 minResultHot Ghee
31	3 piece	Add the black cardamom pods to the hot ghee.⏱ 5sResultHot ghee and black cardamom pods
32	6 piece	Add the green cardamom pods to the pan.⏱ 5sResultHot ghee and black cardamom pods and green cardamom pods
33	5 piece	Add the cloves to the pan.⏱ 5sResultHot ghee and black cardamom pod mixture
34	2 piece	Add the cinnamon sticks to the pan.⏱ 5sResultHot ghee and black cardamom pod mixture
35	3 piece	Add the bay leaves to the pan.⏱ 5sResultHot ghee and black cardamom pod mixture
36	1 tsp	Tip the black peppercorns into the pepper mill and grind them into the small bowl until finely ground.⏱ 20sResultFreshly ground black pepper
37	Freshly ground black pepperstep 36	Add the freshly ground black pepper to the pan.⏱ 5sResultHot ghee and black cardamom pod mixture
38	1 tsp	Add the fennel seeds to the pan.⏱ 5sResultHot ghee and black cardamom pod mixture
39	—	Stir the whole spices constantly for about 1 minute until the cardamom puffs slightly and the mixture is intensely fragrant.⏱ 1 minResultBloomed whole spices
40	Finely chopped white onionstep 17	Add the finely chopped onion to the pan with the bloomed spices.⏱ 10sResultFinely chopped white onion and bloomed whole spices
41	—	Stir and cook the onion over a medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan regularly, for 15 minutes until it is a deep, even golden brown with no raw smell remaining.⏱ 15 minResultDeeply golden onion base
42	Finely grated fresh ginger and finely minced garlicstep 25	Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the golden onion base.⏱ 10sResultDeeply golden onion base and finely grated fresh ginger and finely minced garlic
43	—	Stir and fry the garlic and ginger into the onion for 2 minutes, scraping the pan constantly, until the raw garlic smell has gone and the mixture smells nutty and sweet.⏱ 2 minResultFragrant onion, garlic and ginger base
44	2 tsp	Add the ground coriander to the pan.⏱ 5sResultFragrant onion and garlic mixture
45	1 tsp	Add the ground cumin to the pan.⏱ 5sResultFragrant onion and garlic mixture
46	0.5 tsp	Add the ground cardamom to the pan.⏱ 5sResultFragrant onion and garlic mixture
47	—	Stir the ground spices vigorously into the onion base and cook for 1 minute until the mixture smells toasty and the spices have darkened slightly.⏱ 1 minResultSpiced onion base
48	Roughly chopped plum tomatoesstep 28	Tip the roughly chopped tomatoes and all their juices into the pan.⏱ 10sResultRoughly chopped plum tomatoes and spiced masala base
49	—	Stir and cook the tomatoes over a medium heat for 10 minutes, crushing them with the back of the spoon, until the mixture reduces to a thick, jammy paste and the ghee begins to pool at the edges.⏱ 10 minResultThick tomato masala
50	Yogurt-marinated lambstep 13	Add the yogurt-marinated lamb to the pan, scraping in every bit of yogurt marinade.⏱ 15sResultThick tomato masala and yogurt-marinated lamb
51	1 tsp	Add the remaining salt to the pan.⏱ 5sResultThick tomato masala and yogurt-marinated lamb and salt
52	—	Stir the lamb firmly into the masala until every piece is well coated and combined with the spiced sauce.⏱ 30sResultLamb coated in masala
53	—	Cook the lamb over a high heat, stirring and turning frequently, for 8 minutes until the marinade has cooked down and the meat has taken on a little colour on the outside.⏱ 8 minResultMasala-seared lamb
54	150 ml	Pour the water into the pan and stir to lift any sticky bits from the bottom.⏱ 10sResultMasala-seared lamb and water
55	—	Stir everything together well, scraping the base of the pan clean, so the lamb is submerged in the sauce.⏱ 30sResultLamb rogan josh with stock
56	—	Place the lid firmly on the saucepan.⏱ 10s
57	—	Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the lamb is completely tender and falls apart when pressed with a spoon, checking occasionally and adding a splash of water if the sauce looks too dry.⏱ 1 hr 30 minResultBraised lamb rogan josh
58	—	Leave the lid off and let the curry bubble uncovered for 5 minutes so the sauce tightens and coats the lamb.⏱ 5 minResultReduced lamb rogan josh
59	1.5 tsp	Sprinkle the garam masala over the surface of the curry.⏱ 5sResultReduced lamb rogan josh and garam masala
60	—	Stir the garam masala gently through the curry and simmer uncovered for a further 5 minutes to let the sauce thicken and the final spices bloom.⏱ 5 minResultFinished lamb rogan josh
Total Time		3 hr 1 min

Serving

Ladle the curry into a warm serving bowl, making sure each portion gets plenty of sauce and chunks of tender lamb.
Tear the fresh coriander leaves over the top and serve immediately. The black cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and bay leaf are there for flavour; don't eat them.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated · pre-cooking · 92% ingredients covered

Nutrient	Per serving
	551kcal
	50g
	30g
	14g
	19g
	9g
	4g
	1,366mg

Ingredients0/23

Tools0/18

Recipe

Lamb Rogan Josh

Tender lamb braised in aromatic spices with plum tomatoes, warming cloves and cinnamon create depth in this classic curry for four.

What you’ll doYou will marinate lamb shoulder in a yogurt spice mixture for at least an hour. While it rests, you will bloom whole spices in ghee, cook onions golden, build a paste base with garlic, ginger and ground spices, then add tomatoes and reduce them to jam. You will then add the marinated lamb, seal it in sauce, and braise it gently covered for an hour and a half until the meat falls apart, finishing with a final simmer to bloom the garam masala.

Serves4

Total3 hr 1 min

LevelMedium

Ingredients

Lamb shoulder900 g
Plain whole-milk yogurt200 g
Kashmiri chilli powder2 tsp
Ground turmeric0.5 tsp
Salt2 tsp
White onion300 g
Garlic6 clove
Fresh ginger40 g
Plum tomatoes300 g
Ghee60 ml
Black cardamom pods3 piece
Green cardamom pods6 piece
Cloves5 piece
Cinnamon stick2 piece
Bay leaf3 piece
Black peppercorns1 tsp
Fennel seeds1 tsp
Ground coriander2 tsp
Ground cumin1 tsp
Ground cardamom0.5 tsp
Water150 ml
Garam masala1.5 tsp
Fresh coriander15 g

Tools

SpoonPan lidTongsPepper millWork surfaceWhite onion bowl (small bowl)Garlic bowl (small bowl)Ground black bowl (small bowl)Large heavy based saucepanChef's knifeMedium bowlLarge bowlCling filmWooden spoonRefrigeratorGraterPeelerLadleServing bowlChopping board

Method

Place the lamb shoulder on the chopping board.

10sChopping boardLamb shoulder · 900 g

Cut the lamb into roughly 4 cm chunks, trimming away any very large pieces of excess fat.

Result · Lamb chunks · used in step 8

2 minChopping board, Chefs knifeLamb shoulder · step 1

Spoon the yogurt into the large bowl.

5sLarge bowlPlain whole-milk yogurt · 200 g

Add the Kashmiri red chilli powder to the yogurt.

5sLarge bowlKashmiri chilli powder · 2 tsp

Add the ground turmeric to the bowl.

5sLarge bowlGround turmeric · 0.5 tsp

Add the salt to the bowl.

5sLarge bowlSalt · 1 tsp

Stir everything together until the yogurt is evenly coloured and the spices are well combined.

20sLarge bowl, Spoon

Add the lamb chunks to the spiced yogurt marinade.

15sLarge bowlLamb chunks · step 2

Turn the lamb with tongs until every piece is well coated in the yogurt mixture.

30sLarge bowl, Tongs

Cover the bowl tightly with cling film.

10sLarge bowl, Cling film

Place the covered bowl in the refrigerator.

10sLarge bowl, Refrigerator

Leave the lamb to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight for best results.

1 hrLarge bowl

Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let the lamb come toward room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Result · Yogurt-marinated lamb · used in step 50

10sLarge bowl, Refrigerator

Place the onions on the chopping board.

10sChopping boardWhite onion · 300 g

Peel the onions and discard the papery skins.

30sChopping board, Chefs knifeWhite onion · step 14

Finely chop the peeled onions into small, even pieces.

1 minChopping board, Chefs knifePeeled onion · step 15

Scrape the chopped onion into the small bowl and set aside.

Result · Finely chopped white onion · used in step 40

10sWhite onion bowl (small bowl)Finely chopped white onion · step 16

Place the garlic cloves on the chopping board.

10sChopping boardGarlic · 6 clove

Crush each clove lightly with the flat of the knife blade and slip off the skins.

30sChopping board, Chefs knifeGarlic · step 18

Mince the peeled garlic cloves finely into a paste-like pile.

40sChopping board, Chefs knifePeeled garlic cloves · step 19

Scrape the minced garlic into the second small bowl.

10sGarlic bowl (small bowl)Finely minced garlic · step 20

Place the ginger on the chopping board.

10sChopping boardFresh ginger · 40 g

Peel the ginger with a peeler or the edge of a spoon.

20sChopping board, PeelerFresh ginger · step 22

Grate the peeled ginger on the fine side of the grater into a small pile.

30sChopping board, GraterPeeled fresh ginger · step 23

Add the grated ginger to the small bowl with the minced garlic and stir briefly to combine.

Result · Finely grated fresh ginger and finely minced garlic · used in step 42

10sGarlic bowl (small bowl)Finely grated fresh ginger · step 24

Place the plum tomatoes on the chopping board.

10sChopping boardPlum tomatoes · 300 g

Roughly chop the plum tomatoes into irregular chunks, keeping any juices.

40sChopping board, Work surface, Chefs knifePlum tomatoes · step 26

Scrape the chopped tomatoes and their juices into the medium bowl.

Result · Roughly chopped plum tomatoes · used in step 48

10sMedium bowlRoughly chopped plum tomatoes · step 27

Spoon the ghee into the large heavy-based saucepan.

10sLarge heavy based saucepanGhee · 60 ml

Set the pan over a medium-high heat and warm the ghee until it shimmers and a pinch of spice dropped in sizzles immediately.

1 minLarge heavy based saucepan

Add the black cardamom pods to the hot ghee.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanBlack cardamom pods · 3 piece

Add the green cardamom pods to the pan.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanGreen cardamom pods · 6 piece

Add the cloves to the pan.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanCloves · 5 piece

Add the cinnamon sticks to the pan.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanCinnamon stick · 2 piece

Add the bay leaves to the pan.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanBay leaf · 3 piece

Tip the black peppercorns into the pepper mill and grind them into the small bowl until finely ground.

20sGround black bowl (small bowl), Pepper millBlack peppercorns · 1 tsp

Add the freshly ground black pepper to the pan.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanFreshly ground black pepper · step 36

Add the fennel seeds to the pan.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanFennel seeds · 1 tsp

Stir the whole spices constantly for about 1 minute until the cardamom puffs slightly and the mixture is intensely fragrant.

1 minLarge heavy based saucepan, Wooden spoon

Add the finely chopped onion to the pan with the bloomed spices.

10sLarge heavy based saucepanFinely chopped white onion · step 17

Stir and cook the onion over a medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan regularly, for 15 minutes until it is a deep, even golden brown with no raw smell remaining.

15 minLarge heavy based saucepan, Wooden spoon

Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the golden onion base.

10sLarge heavy based saucepanFinely grated fresh ginger and finely minced garlic · step 25

Stir and fry the garlic and ginger into the onion for 2 minutes, scraping the pan constantly, until the raw garlic smell has gone and the mixture smells nutty and sweet.

2 minLarge heavy based saucepan, Wooden spoon

Add the ground coriander to the pan.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanGround coriander · 2 tsp

Add the ground cumin to the pan.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanGround cumin · 1 tsp

Add the ground cardamom to the pan.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanGround cardamom · 0.5 tsp

Stir the ground spices vigorously into the onion base and cook for 1 minute until the mixture smells toasty and the spices have darkened slightly.

1 minLarge heavy based saucepan, Wooden spoon

Tip the roughly chopped tomatoes and all their juices into the pan.

10sLarge heavy based saucepanRoughly chopped plum tomatoes · step 28

Stir and cook the tomatoes over a medium heat for 10 minutes, crushing them with the back of the spoon, until the mixture reduces to a thick, jammy paste and the ghee begins to pool at the edges.

10 minLarge heavy based saucepan, Wooden spoon

Add the yogurt-marinated lamb to the pan, scraping in every bit of yogurt marinade.

15sLarge heavy based saucepanYogurt-marinated lamb · step 13

Add the remaining salt to the pan.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanSalt · 1 tsp

Stir the lamb firmly into the masala until every piece is well coated and combined with the spiced sauce.

30sLarge heavy based saucepan, Wooden spoon

Cook the lamb over a high heat, stirring and turning frequently, for 8 minutes until the marinade has cooked down and the meat has taken on a little colour on the outside.

8 minLarge heavy based saucepan, Wooden spoon

Pour the water into the pan and stir to lift any sticky bits from the bottom.

10sLarge heavy based saucepanWater · 150 ml

Stir everything together well, scraping the base of the pan clean, so the lamb is submerged in the sauce.

30sLarge heavy based saucepan, Wooden spoon

Place the lid firmly on the saucepan.

10sLarge heavy based saucepan, Pan lid

1 hr 30 minLarge heavy based saucepan, Spoon

Leave the lid off and let the curry bubble uncovered for 5 minutes so the sauce tightens and coats the lamb.

5 minLarge heavy based saucepan

Sprinkle the garam masala over the surface of the curry.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanGaram masala · 1.5 tsp

Stir the garam masala gently through the curry and simmer uncovered for a further 5 minutes to let the sauce thicken and the final spices bloom.

5 minLarge heavy based saucepan, Wooden spoon

Ladle the curry into a warm serving bowl, making sure each portion gets plenty of sauce and chunks of tender lamb.

30sServing bowl, LadleFinished lamb rogan josh · step 60

Tear the fresh coriander leaves over the top and serve immediately. The black cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and bay leaf are there for flavour; don't eat them.

Result · Lamb Rogan Josh

15sServing bowlFresh coriander · 15 g

Printed 10 October 2026