Lamb Rogan Josh with Basmati Rice

Steps

1. Step 1

   Pat the lamb chunks dry with paper towels and toss them with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Dry meat browns much better.

   5 min

   • 2 lb boneless lamb shoulder
   • 1 tsp salt
2. Step 2

   Heat the ghee in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in two batches, about 4 minutes per batch, turning once or twice, until deeply colored on at least two sides. Move each batch to a plate.

   10 min

   • 2 lb boneless lamb shoulder
   • 3 tbsp ghee or neutral oil
3. Step 3

   Lower the heat to medium. Add the green cardamom, black cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves and bay leaves to the pot and stir for about 30 seconds, until they smell fragrant.

   1 min

   • 4 green cardamom pods
   • 2 black cardamom pods
   • 1 piece cinnamon stick (3-inch)
   • 4 whole cloves
   • 2 bay leaves
4. Step 4

   Add the onions and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often and scraping up the browned bits, until the onions are soft and golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Add a splash of water if they stick.

   14 min

   • 1/2 tsp salt
   • 2 medium yellow onions
5. Step 5

   Stir in the grated ginger and garlic and cook 1 minute, until the raw smell is gone.

   1 min

   • 2 tbsp fresh ginger
   • 4 cloves garlic
6. Step 6

   Turn the heat to low. Add the Kashmiri chili powder, ground fennel, coriander, ground ginger and turmeric and stir constantly for 30 seconds, just until fragrant; they burn quickly.

   1 min

   • 2 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder
   • 2 tsp ground fennel
   • 1 tsp ground coriander
   • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
   • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
7. Step 7

   Take the pot off the heat for a moment. Add the whisked yogurt 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring well after each addition, until it is all in and the sauce is smooth. Adding it slowly off the heat keeps it from curdling.

   4 min

   • 1 cup whole-milk plain yogurt
8. Step 8

   Return the lamb and any juices to the pot, pour in the water, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover, turn the heat to low, and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 25 minutes or so, until the lamb is spoon-tender. The sauce should be thick and deep red; if it is loose, uncover for the last 15 minutes.

   1 hr 30 min, hands-off

   • 2 lb boneless lamb shoulder
   • 1 1/2 cups water
9. Step 9

   While the lamb braises, rinse the basmati rice in a bowl of cool water, swirling and draining 3 or 4 times, until the water runs nearly clear. Let it soak in fresh water for 20 minutes, then drain.

   25 min

   • 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
10. Step 10

    About 25 minutes before serving, combine the drained rice, water, salt and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes. Take it off the heat and let it stand, still covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

    25 min

    • 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
    • 2 1/4 cups water
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1 tbsp butter or ghee
11. Step 11

    Stir the garam masala into the curry and taste for salt. Fish out the cinnamon stick and bay leaves if you like. Scatter with cilantro and serve over the rice.

    2 min

    • 1/2 tsp garam masala
    • 2 tbsp cilantro

Where it’s from

Written by AI from an idea

Version 1, saved Oct 4, 2026