Name: Kashmiri Rogan Josh
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 kg lamb shoulder, cut into 4 cm chunks with some bone; 4 tbsp mustard oil or ghee; 3 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder; 2 tsp ground fennel; 1 tsp ground dried ginger; 1 tsp ground coriander; ½ tsp asafoetida; 4 green cardamom pods, bruised; 2 black cardamom pods, bruised; 1 cinnamon stick; 4 cloves; 2 bay leaves; 300 g full-fat yogurt, whisked smooth; 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt; 1 tsp garam masala; 400 ml water

Kashmiri Rogan Josh

The Kashmiri classic: lamb braised in a brick-red gravy coloured by Kashmiri chillies and perfumed with fennel, ginger and black cardamom. Aromatic rather than fiery, and unmistakably distinct from other curries.

1 hr 55 min total Serves 6 servings Medium

Traditional Kashmiri rogan josh contains no onion, garlic or tomato — the body comes from yogurt and the fat from the lamb itself. Whisking the yogurt in gradually off the boil prevents the proteins curdling, and ground fennel and dried ginger give the dish its signature perfume.

Kashmiri Rogan Josh, in preparation
Photograph credit: Top-down view of an Indian-style meal on a white square plate with mutton rogan josh,… by Mohammed Kateregga · CC0 1.0 · Wordpress

The Method for Kashmiri Rogan Josh

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Heat the mustard oil until it just begins to smoke, then let it cool for a minute. This mellows its raw pungency.
Add the whole spices — both cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and bay — and let them sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the lamb and the salt and brown over high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the pieces are sealed and lightly coloured.
Lower the heat to minimum. Add the asafoetida, then the Kashmiri chilli, fennel, dried ginger and coriander, and stir for 60 seconds.
Take the pan off the heat entirely. Whisk the yogurt and add it two tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly, until it is all incorporated. This gradual addition is what keeps it from splitting.
Return to low heat and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes as the yogurt tightens around the meat.
Add the water, bring to a bare simmer, cover and cook for 75 to 90 minutes until the lamb is completely tender and a red oil has risen to the surface.
Uncover and reduce for 10 minutes if the gravy is thin. Stir in the garam masala and rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.

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Tips That Matter

Bone-in lamb makes a far richer gravy; ask the butcher for shoulder chunks on the bone.
Kashmiri chilli is essential for the colour. Ordinary chilli powder will make this searingly hot instead of deep red.
If the yogurt does split, blend the sauce briefly once cooked — it will come back together.

Ingredient Swaps

If you only have ground ginger, a quarter-teaspoon for each tablespoon of fresh is the ratio usually given; it tastes warmer and less bright than the fresh root.

Pairs Well With

A Syrah or a robust rosé · Serve with plain basmati rice, not bread, to appreciate the gravy · Finish with saffron kheer

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Chapati (Roti), Idiyappam, Kerala Appam.

Storage

Refrigerate 4 days, freeze 3 months. Like all braises, it is better on day two.