Mutton Rogan Josh
Mutton Rogan Josh is a traditional Kashmiri-style mutton curry flavored with fennel seeds and dry ginger powder. Learn to make it authentically using my easy recipe.
Here are some more mutton curries that you may like: Saag Gosht, Bhuna Gosht, Kosha Mangsho, Mutton Rara, and Railway Mutton Curry.
After getting great feedback on my chicken rogan josh recipe, I modified it for goat meat. This is not the onion-tomato-based curry you get in restaurants in the name of Rogan Josh. It’s a traditional curry made in Kashmiri homes for ages. Try it, and let me know your feedback in the comments.
About Mutton Rogan Josh
Mutton Rogan Josh is a fiery red spicy Kashmiri-style mutton curry. It has a thin red-colored gravy and a thick layer of fat (rogan) floating on top.
It is a curry of Persian origin brought to Kashmir by the Mughals.
The characteristic vibrant red color of rogan josh comes from using a liberal amount of Kashmiri red chili powder and a unique Kashmiri spice called ratan jot.
This curry can be made without onions and garlic like the Kashmiri Pandits do or with onions and garlic in the Kashmiri Muslim style.
Most often, the rogan josh curry you get in restaurants worldwide is not even remotely close to the authentic recipe. They make a regular onion-tomato-based mutton curry and call it Rogan Josh.
So don’t be fooled by that taste. Learn to make this curry authentically using my easy recipe. It tastes delicious, too.
Check out my Chicken Rogan Josh and Lamb Rogan Josh recipes, too.
Ingredients
You will find all the ingredients to make the mutton rogan josh recipe at an Indian grocery store.
Mutton – I like to make this curry using bone-in goat mutton pieces. Bones release a lot of juice, making the curry very flavorful. If you don’t like bone-in pieces, you can use boneless pieces.
Try to get the pieces from the legs or the shoulder of the goat, as they have the best meat.
Whole Spices – You will need Indian whole spices like black cardamoms (badi elaichi), cloves (laung), green cardamoms (hari elaichi), black peppercorns (kali mirch), bay leaves (tej patta), dry Kashmiri red chilies, and mace (javitri).
Spice Powder – This goat rogan josh curry is flavored with spice powders, such as Kashmiri red chilli powder, fennel seed powder (saunf powder), dry ginger powder (sonth), coriander powder, cumin powder, and garam masala powder.
Yogurt – Plain yogurt (dahi, curd) makes the base of this Kashmiri mutton curry.
Oil – Traditionally, mutton rogan josh curry is made in mustard oil or ghee. However, you can use any cooking oil if mustard oil or ghee is unavailable.
Others – You will also need milk, saffron strands, cumin seeds, asafetida (hing), and salt to make this robust mutton curry.
Tempering (Optional) – A tempering of ratanjot in ghee is added to the curry. It gives the curry a fiery red color, but it is totally optional. You can get ratanjot on online portals like Amazon.
How To Make Mutton Rogan Josh
Preparation
Soak 1 pinch of saffron strands in 2 tablespoon hot milk.
Lightly crush the following whole spices in a mortar and pestle.
- 3-4 black cardamoms
- 4-5 cloves
- 3-4 green cardamoms
- 8-10 black peppercorns
- 1 mace
Whisk ¾ cup of plain yogurt with the following ingredients.
- 3 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 3 teaspoon fennel powder
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida
- 1 tablespoon dry ginger powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 teaspoon salt
Make The Curry
In An Instant Pot
Press the SAUTE button on the instant pot.
Add 5 tablespoon mustard oil or ghee to the pot.
Once the oil is hot, add the following ingredients and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- crushed whole spices
- 2 bay leaves
- 4-5 Kashmiri dry red chilies
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Add 2 pounds (1 kg) of bone-in goat mutton (cut into 1 and ½ inch pieces) and cook for 5-6 minutes.
Now add yogurt mixture and saffron soaked in milk and mix well.
Add 1 cup of hot water and mix well.
Close the instant pot lid and set the valve to the sealing position.
Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 20 minutes at high pressure.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Release the remaining pressure manually.
Open the lid.
In A Stovetop Pressure Cooker
Follow the recipe in a stovetop pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
Close the lid and pressure cook for 1 whistle on low heat.
Reduce the heat and cook for 20 minutes.
Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally.
Temper The Curry (Optional)
Heat ¼ cup ghee in a small pan over medium heat.
Add a 1-inch piece of ratan jot and cook for a minute.
Strain the ghee and add it to the curry. Serve hot with steamed rice or Naan.
Pro Tips By Neha
Some people also use dry cockscomb flowers in their Rogan Josh recipes. Soak 1 cup of dried flowers in 1 cup warm water for 15-20 minutes. Strain and use the water in the recipe. It gives the dish a very peculiar taste and color.
If Ratanjot is not available, you can skip using it. It doesn’t change the dish’s taste dramatically, so it could be optional to use it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kashmiri Muslims use onions and garlic in their rogan josh recipe. After adding the dry red chilies, add 1 cup of sliced onions and 10-12 crushed cloves of garlic. Fry them until they turn golden brown. Then add the mutton and follow the rest of the recipe as mentioned below.
Ideally, Rogan Josh has a thin, watery gravy, and that’s how it is traditionally made.
But if you want to thicken the gravy, add 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour to the yogurt and whisk it well before adding it to the pan. This will thicken the gravy while keeping the taste intact.
Serving Suggestions
Rogan Josh is the signature dish of Kashmir and is made for weddings and special occasions.
It tastes best with steamed Basmati rice. You can also serve it with Indian bread, such as Plain Naan, Tandoori Roti, Phulka, or Lachha Paratha.
Storage Suggestions
You can store this curry in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Just cool it completely and transfer it to an airtight container to store. Reheat it in a pan or a microwave before serving again.
You can also freeze this curry for up to a month. Thaw, reheat, and serve.
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Mutton Rogan Josh Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pinch saffron strands
- 2 tablespoons hot milk
- 3-4 black cardamoms (badi elaichi)
- 4-5 cloves (laung)
- 3-4 green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 8-10 black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 1 mace (javitri)
- ¾ cup plain yogurt (dahi, curd)
- 3 tablespoons Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 3 teaspoons fennel powder (saunf powder)
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 1 tablespoon dry ginger powder (saunth)
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 5 tablespoons mustard oil (or ghee)
- 2 bay leaves (tejpatta)
- 4-5 dry red chillies
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 pounds bone-in goat mutton (1 kg, cut into 1 and ½ inch pieces)
For Tempering (Optional)
- ¼ cup ghee
- 1 inch piece of ratan jot
Instructions
Preparation
- Soak saffron strands in milk.
- Lightly crush black cardamoms, cloves, green cardamoms, black peppercorns, and mace, in a mortar and pestle.
- Whisk yogurt with Kashmiri red chili powder, fennel powder, asafetida, dry ginger powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, and salt.
Make The Curry
In An Instant Pot
- Press the SAUTE button on the instant pot.
- Add oil to the pot.
- Once the oil is hot, add crushed whole spices, bay leaves, dry red chilies, and cumin seeds, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add mutton and cook for 5-6 minutes.
- Now add yogurt mixture and saffron soaked in milk and mix well.
- Add 1 cup of hot water and mix well.
- Close the lid of the instant pot and set the valve to the sealing position.
- Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 20 minutes at high pressure.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure manually.
- Open the lid.
In A Stovetop Pressure Cooker
- Follow the recipe in a stovetop pressure cooker over medium-high heat.
- Close the lid and pressure cook for 1 whistle on low heat.
- Reduce the heat and cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid.
Temper The Curry (Optional)
- Heat ghee in a small pan over medium heat.
- Add ratan jot and cook for a minute.
- Strain the ghee and add it to the curry. Serve hot with steamed rice or Naan.
Made this with chicken and it tastes and smells heavenly.
Good to hear this 🙂
Hello… It’s a really good recipe… Easy to make… I tried it however it’s gone little too spicy (teekha) … Any suggestions to fix it ??
You can add a few potato cubes to the gravy. They will absorb some of the spice. Or else add coconut milk to it. The taste will change drastically but it will still be good.
So I tried making this exactly how the recipe said – with curd and pressure cooked.
And WOW! even with such less ingredients it tastes amazing!!
Thanks a lot for this recipe, I think this is my new go to recipe for mutton.
Thanks for trying and leaving your feedback 🙂
Made it again today and I’m in love with this recipe!! Thanks once again!!
Thanks a lot 🙂
Very simple recipe Neha prepared it with Beef -turned out very good, thank you. Beatrice
I am so glad you liked it 🙂
Made it today… hubby loved it…
Thnx for trying 🙂
Nice recipe. Will be making it tomm. Little help.
If i am using onion and garlic am i suppose to still add hing? If yes any substitute or hing is best?
If you have it, you can add but if not, feel free to skip it.
Just made the recipe today! Followed the Muslim variation and it turned out extremely delicious.
Thnx a lot for trying and leaving your feedback 🙂
Hi
Looks very delicious and lip smacking ..I am making it today
Do try and leave your feedback 🙂
Wow. Looks delicious. Nice recipe and very clear steps.
Thnx a lot 🙂