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Mutton Rogan Josh

Servings 4
Prep Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the marinade

  • 500 g mutton with bones, cut into medium pieces
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds ground
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper powder
  • ½ tsp cardamom powder
  • 1 cup yoghurt.

For the curry

  • 3 tbsp ghee
  • 1 cup water
  • Salt to taste

Whole spices:

  • 2 black cardamoms
  • 4 green cardamom pods
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 " cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds

For the yoghurt infusion

  • 1 cup plain yoghurt
  • 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds ground

For the ratan jot infusion

  • ½ " piece alkanet ratan jot root, grated
  • 1 tbsp oil

Instructions

  • In a bowl, toss the mutton with ground fennel, cinnamon, red chilli, pepper, and cardamom powders. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for 2 hours.
  • Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add all the whole spices and sauté until fragrant.
  • Add the marinated mutton and sear on medium-high until lightly browned. Pour in 1 cup water, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, whisk together yoghurt, red chilli powder, and ground fennel seeds until smooth.
  • Uncover the pan, reduce heat to low, and stir in the yoghurt mixture. Season with salt and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
  • In a small pan, heat 1 tbsp oil, add the grated ratan jot root, and fry briefly until the oil turns crimson. Pour this infusion into the curry and stir gently.
  • Simmer for 15-20 minutes more, until the mutton is tender and the gravy is thick. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with Kalijeera rice pulao.

Notes

The name of this dish comes from Persian: "Rogan" means clarified butter and "Josh" means intense heat. Together it suggests “cooked in oil at intense heat”. The unique use of fennel and dry ginger sets it apart from other curries. It is traditionally cooked using the "dum pukht" method, which is slow cooking in a sealed pot. This allowed the mutton to become buttery soft and infused with spice. It's often part of the Kashmiri wazwan, a royal multi-course meal.
Author: Amna Rahman
Course: Curry, Main Dish
Cuisine: North Indian