North Indian · Dinner

Rogan josh

Name: Rogan josh
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: North Indian
Ingredients: 3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 1/3 cup mustard oil or ghee; 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida; 6 green cardamom pods, cracked; 4 whole cloves; 1 small cinnamon stick; 2 bay leaves; 3 tablespoons Kashmiri chile powder; 2 teaspoons ground fennel; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground dry ginger; 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, whisked smooth; 3 cups hot water; 1 teaspoon garam masala; 1 tablespoon ratan jot-infused oil, optional; 6 cups steamed basmati rice

Kashmiri-style lamb braised brick-red with chile, yogurt, fennel, dry ginger, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, and asafoetida—without tomato, onion, or garlic.

About 2 hr 5 minTotal

About 2 hr 5 minActive

$$$Cost

AdvancedDifficulty

Makes 6 servings

Equipment

Use a hot sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl for the covered phase.
Best value covered pot
Lodge Essential Enamel 6-Quart Dutch Oven · EC6D43
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Use a hot sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl for the covered phase.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched capacity, lid fit, oven rating, heat retention, maneuverability, care, stable model identity, and usefulness outside bread baking. Kwilt has not baked with this pot.
Lodge Essential Enamel 6-Quart Dutch Oven · EC6D43: The six-quart capacity, heavy cast-iron body, and fitted lid create the enclosed high-heat environment used by these bread methods while remaining useful beyond baking. Trade-off: At more than thirteen pounds it is demanding to move when hot, and the enamel needs gentler utensils and hand washing.
Another workable path: Bake on a preheated heavy sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl, keeping face and hands clear when removing the hot cover.
Sources
Lodge six-quart Essential Enamel specifications
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 6 servings

3 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/3 cup mustard oil or ghee
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
6 green cardamom pods, cracked
4 whole cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons Kashmiri chile powder
2 teaspoons ground fennel
1 1/2 teaspoons ground dry ginger
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, whisked smooth
3 cups hot water
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon ratan jot-infused oil, optional
6 cups steamed basmati rice

Instructions

Pat lamb dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt. If using mustard oil, heat it until it just smokes, then lower heat. and transfer.
Lower heat and bloom asafoetida, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay for 30 seconds. Stir Kashmiri chile with 1/4 cup water and add carefully; cook 30 seconds without scorching.
Return lamb with fennel, dry ginger, and remaining salt. Lower heat and add yogurt one spoonful at a time, stirring until each addition is absorbed and the sauce no longer looks curdled.
Add hot water, bring to a bare simmer, cover, and braise 75 to 90 minutes until lamb is fork-tender, stirring occasionally.
Uncover and reduce until red oil beads at the surface and sauce coats the lamb. Remove whole spices, stir in garam masala and optional ratan jot oil, and serve with basmati rice.

KashmirKashmiri cooking traditions

From the table

About this recipe

Rogan josh is a Kashmiri meat dish with distinct Pandit and Muslim branches. Ingredients such as onion, garlic, shallot, cockscomb flower, yogurt, and spice treatment differ; this version follows a yogurt, fennel, dry-ginger, and Kashmiri-chile branch without claiming universality.

Rogan josh entered Kashmir through Persian and Mughal influence and developed multiple Kashmiri Muslim and Pandit branches. This is a Pandit-style home adaptation characterized by asafoetida, yogurt, fennel, dry ginger, Kashmiri chile, and no onion, garlic, or tomato. Ratan jot traditionally deepens color; optional infused oil is more honest than artificial red dye. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Select and name the Kashmiri Pandit branch, resist popular tomato-onion shortcuts, and make ratan jot optional while preserving natural chile color and the yogurt-emulsion technique.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe