Curry House Lamb Rogan Josh
This Curry House Lamb Rogan Josh is a British Indian Restaurant style curry made with tender pre-cooked lamb, a smooth base curry sauce and warming spices. Paprika, Kashmiri chilli powder and tomato give the sauce its deep red colour, while cashew paste and yoghurt add body without turning it into a heavy cream sauce.
The final curry cooks quickly, but the base sauce and lamb need to be prepared in advance. Once those elements are ready, the dish can be finished in one wide pan in under 20 minutes.
What Is Curry House Lamb Rogan Josh?
Rogan josh is associated with Kashmiri cooking, but this recipe is specifically the British curry house interpretation. Instead of simmering raw lamb slowly in the finished sauce, it uses lamb that has already been cooked until tender. The curry is then assembled to order with base curry sauce, prepared aromatics and ground spices.
This method produces a smooth, richly coloured sauce with a medium level of heat. It is not intended to reproduce a traditional Kashmiri rogan josh. It belongs to the separate curry house style of cooking, where prepared ingredients make a fast final service possible.
What Gives Rogan Josh Its Red Colour?
The red colour should come from a balanced mixture of paprika, Kashmiri chilli powder, tomato puree and the base curry sauce. Kashmiri chilli powder brings colour and a gentle chilli flavour, while a small amount of hot chilli powder can be added separately for heat.
There is no need to rely on a large quantity of hot chilli powder. That can make the curry harsh before the sauce develops the colour you want. Fry the ground spices only briefly and add the diluted tomato puree promptly so they do not scorch.
Important Ingredients
Pre-cooked lamb makes the quick curry house method possible. The lamb should already be tender before it enters the finished curry, because the short final simmer is only intended to heat it through and coat it with sauce.
Curry house base sauce creates the smooth body of the curry. Heat it before cooking and add it in stages. A hot sauce keeps the pan simmering and makes it easier to judge the reduction.
Mixed Powder supplies the background curry spices. Paprika and Kashmiri chilli powder are added separately so the colour and heat can be controlled more precisely.
Cashew paste gently thickens the sauce and rounds out the spices. It should be blended until smooth so the curry does not feel grainy.
Full fat natural yoghurt gives the sauce a mild tang. Whisk it before adding and keep the heat low at that stage to reduce the chance of splitting.
Dried fenugreek leaves are added near the end. Crushing them between your fingers releases their aroma without leaving large flakes in the sauce.
How to Make Curry House Lamb Rogan Josh
Have the pre-cooked lamb ready and heat the base curry sauce before you begin. Use a wide frying pan or sauté pan with a capacity of at least 3 litres. The broad surface helps the sauce reduce quickly, while the extra capacity gives enough room to stir in the lamb safely.
Add the base sauce gradually rather than pouring it all in at once. This keeps the curry simmering and allows you to stop when the sauce reaches the consistency you prefer. See the recipe card at the bottom for exact quantities and printable directions
Ingredients
- Ghee or rapeseed oil
- Garlic and Ginger Paste
- Mixed Powder
- Sweet paprika
- Kashmiri chilli powder
- Hot chilli powder, optional
- Ground cumin
- Double concentrated tomato puree
- Hot water
- Curry house base sauce
- Curry House Pre-Cooked Lamb or Beef
- Unsalted cashews
- Full fat natural yoghurt
- Fresh tomatoes
- Garam masala
- Dried fenugreek leaves
- Fine salt
- Fresh coriander
- Red onion, optional
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the sauce ingredients. Stir the tomato puree into the hot water until smooth. Blend the cashews with their measured water to make a smooth paste. Whisk the yoghurt in a separate bowl, heat the base curry sauce until steaming and keep all four components beside the hob.
Step 2: Fry the aromatic paste. Heat the ghee or oil in a wide pan over a medium high heat. Add the Garlic and Ginger Paste and stir for about 30 seconds, until the raw aroma softens. Do not allow it to brown.
Step 3: Bloom the ground spices. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the Mixed Powder, paprika, Kashmiri chilli powder, optional hot chilli powder and cumin. Stir continuously for 20 to 30 seconds, just until fragrant. If the spices begin to catch, move straight to the next step.
Step 4: Start the sauce. Pour in the diluted tomato puree and stir vigorously to loosen the spices from the pan. Add the first portion of hot base curry sauce, bring to a lively simmer and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5: Add the lamb and cashew paste. Stir in the pre-cooked lamb, its measured cooking liquid if using, the cashew paste and the second portion of base curry sauce. Simmer for 4 minutes, turning the lamb through the sauce so every piece heats evenly.
Step 6: Reduce to the right consistency. Add the final portion of base curry sauce only as needed. Continue simmering for 4 to 6 minutes, until the lamb is steaming hot throughout and the sauce coats it without becoming dry. Stir more frequently as the sauce thickens.
Step 7: Add the yoghurt and tomato. Turn the heat to low. Add the yoghurt one spoonful at a time, stirring each addition fully into the sauce before adding the next. Fold in the tomato wedges and cook gently for 2 minutes. Do not let the curry boil hard after adding the yoghurt.
Step 8: Finish and season. Stir in the garam masala, crushed dried fenugreek leaves, salt and most of the coriander. Taste and adjust the salt or chilli if required. Remove from the heat, scatter over the remaining coriander and add the optional red onion before serving.
How Hot Is Curry House Rogan Josh?
This version is medium rather than aggressively hot. Kashmiri chilli powder contributes more colour than heat, while the optional hot chilli powder controls the sharper chilli warmth.
For a milder curry, omit the hot chilli powder. For more heat, increase it in small amounts. Adding a large quantity at the start is difficult to correct later, especially once the sauce has reduced.
How Do You Stop the Yoghurt from Splitting?
Use full fat natural yoghurt and whisk it until smooth before cooking. Reduce the heat under the pan, then add the yoghurt gradually while stirring. A violently boiling sauce can separate the yoghurt and leave small pale specks throughout the curry.
If the yoghurt is very cold, leave the measured amount out while you prepare the other ingredients. It does not need to become warm, but taking off the refrigerator chill makes the temperature change less abrupt.
Can You Make Rogan Josh Without Cashews?
Yes. The cashew paste contributes smoothness and helps the sauce thicken, but the curry still works without it. For a nut free version, omit the paste and add the final portion of base sauce only if the curry needs it. You may also need to simmer the sauce for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Do not replace the cashews with ground almonds when cooking for someone with a tree nut allergy. Check every prepared ingredient separately, including the base sauce and spice blends.
Can You Use a Different Main Ingredient?
Pre-cooked beef can be used without changing the sauce method. Pre-cooked chicken also works, but it needs only enough time to become thoroughly hot and may dry out if simmered for too long. For paneer, fry the cubes first and fold them in during Step 6 so they hold their shape.
Raw lamb is not a direct substitution in this quick method. It must be cooked separately until tender before making the finished curry.
Cooking Tips
- Use a wide pan so the base sauce reduces steadily rather than remaining watery.
- Keep the base sauce hot. Cold sauce lowers the pan temperature and slows the reduction.
- Do not fry the ground spices for longer than necessary. Burnt cumin or chilli will make the entire curry bitter.
- Add the final portion of base sauce according to the pan and the consistency you want. You may not need every drop.
- Keep the heat low when adding the yoghurt and stir continuously.
- Stop reducing while the sauce is slightly looser than your preferred serving consistency because it thickens as it stands.
What to Serve with Lamb Rogan Josh
Serve the curry with pilau rice, plain basmati rice, naan or chapati. Tarka dhal, saag aloo or Bombay potatoes work well when serving a larger meal. A cucumber raita can soften the chilli heat, while red onion chutney or mango chutney adds contrast.
How to Store and Reheat
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them in a covered container. Reheat gently in a saucepan, stirring regularly, until the lamb and sauce are steaming hot throughout. Add a small splash of water if the sauce has thickened in the refrigerator.
The curry can also be frozen in meal sized portions. Defrost it in the refrigerator before reheating. The sauce may appear slightly separated after freezing, but steady stirring over a low heat should bring it back together.
Curry House Lamb Rogan Josh
Ingredients
- 45 ml ghee or rapeseed oil
- 30 g Garlic and Ginger Paste
- 4 teaspoons Mixed Powder
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot chilli powder optional and to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 40 g double concentrated tomato puree
- 120 ml hot water for diluting the tomato puree
- 500 ml hot curry house base sauce divided into 200ml, 200ml and 100ml portions
- 600 g Curry House Pre-Cooked Lamb or Beef with 60ml of its cooking liquid if available
- 35 g unsalted cashews
- 60 ml water for blending the cashews
- 60 g full fat natural yoghurt whisked
- 200 g fresh tomatoes cut into wedges
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt plus more if needed
- 20 g fresh coriander finely chopped and divided
- 40 g red onion very finely sliced, optional
Instructions
- Stir the tomato puree into 120ml hot water until smooth. Blend the cashews with 60ml water into a smooth paste. Whisk the yoghurt, heat the base curry sauce until steaming and place the three measured portions beside the hob.
- Heat the ghee or oil in a wide pan with a capacity of at least 3 litres over a medium high heat. Add the Garlic and Ginger Paste and stir for about 30 seconds, until its raw aroma softens without browning.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the Mixed Powder, paprika, Kashmiri chilli powder, optional hot chilli powder and cumin. Stir continuously for 20 to 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Pour in the diluted tomato puree and stir thoroughly. Add the first 200ml portion of hot base curry sauce, bring to a lively simmer and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the pre-cooked lamb, its measured cooking liquid if using, the cashew paste and the second 200ml portion of base curry sauce. Simmer for 4 minutes, turning the lamb through the sauce.
- Add up to the final 100ml portion of base curry sauce as required. Simmer for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring more frequently as the sauce reduces, until the lamb is steaming hot throughout and the sauce coats it without becoming dry.
- Turn the heat to low. Add the yoghurt one spoonful at a time, stirring each addition into the sauce. Fold in the tomato wedges and cook gently for 2 minutes without allowing the curry to boil hard.
- Stir in the garam masala, crushed dried fenugreek leaves, salt and 15g of the coriander. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat, garnish with the remaining 5g coriander and add the optional sliced red onion before serving.
Notes
- The prep and cooking times assume the base curry sauce and pre-cooked lamb have already been prepared.
- The lamb must be tender before it is added to the finished curry. The short simmer will not tenderise raw lamb.
- Add the last 100ml of base sauce according to the reduction in your pan. Using less produces a thicker curry.
- For a nut-free curry, omit the cashew paste and add the final base sauce only if needed. Check all prepared ingredients for allergen information.
- For a milder curry, omit the hot chilli powder. Kashmiri chilli powder can remain because it supplies much of the colour.
