Kashmir's great lamb curry, built on the bone for a sauce with real depth

Rogan josh is usually made with diced lamb, and it's lovely that way. But put whole shanks in the pot instead and something better happens — the bone and marrow give the sauce a body and richness that cubes of meat can't reach, and the meat comes out spoon-tender. This is a proper spice-drawer project: whole spices bloomed in ghee, onions cooked down slow, yoghurt whisked in a spoon at a time, then a long, quiet braise while the kitchen fills with cardamom and clove. Two shanks, a good afternoon, and a curry that tastes like you know what you're doing. You will by the end.

3 hrs 10 mins 2 servings Prep 25 minsCook 2 hrs 45 minsMain CourseIndian

Ingredients

  • 2 Your Farmer grass-fed lamb shanks
  • Salt to season
  • 3 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
  • 4 cardamom pods, bruised
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 2 large brown onions, finely sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or 1/2 tsp regular chilli)
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 200g plain Greek yoghurt, at room temperature
  • 250ml water
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • Steamed basmati rice and fresh coriander, to serve

Instructions

Season the shanks with salt. Heat the ghee in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown them well all over, 8 to 10 minutes, then set aside.

2 lamb shanks3 tbsp ghee

Turn the heat to medium, add the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves and let them sizzle for 30 seconds until fragrant.

4 cardamom pods1 cinnamon stick4 cloves

Add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 12 to 15 minutes until deep golden and soft. This is the base of the sauce, so let them go properly.

2 onions

Stir in the garlic and ginger for 1 minute, then the cumin, coriander, paprika, chilli and turmeric for another minute until the spices are fragrant and coat the onions.

4 cloves garlic1 tbsp ginger2 tsp cumin1 tbsp paprika

Take the pot off the heat for a moment and whisk in the yoghurt a spoonful at a time so it doesn't split, then return to low heat and stir until the sauce is smooth and glossy.

200g yoghurt

Return the shanks and their juices, add the water, and bring to a gentle simmer. Lid on, cook on the lowest heat for 2 hours 15 minutes, turning the shanks two or three times, until the meat is leaving the bone.

250ml water

Remove the lid, stir in the garam masala, and simmer 15 minutes more until the sauce is thick and clings to the meat. Fish out the cinnamon stick and bay leaves and check the salt.

1/2 tsp garam masala

Serve the shanks over basmati rice with the sauce spooned over and coriander scattered on top.

basmati ricecoriander

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Why the Shank Beats the Cube Here

Rogan josh means "red juice" — the colour traditionally comes from Kashmiri chillies and a flower called ratan jot, not from heat, so this is a deep, aromatic curry rather than a fiery one. The shank is the lamb's lower leg: dense with connective tissue and built around a marrow-filled bone, which is exactly why it suits a long braise better than any diced meat. As it cooks, the collagen melts into the sauce and the marrow seasons it from the inside, giving you a gravy with genuine body — no cream or flour required. Grass-fed shanks like those from Your Farmer® have real lamb flavour to stand up to the spices; they come two to the pack in the Share B pack of our pasture-raised lamb share.

Swaps and Variations

No Kashmiri chilli powder? A mix of sweet paprika for colour and a pinch of cayenne for a little warmth does the job. Ghee gives the most authentic flavour, but any neutral oil works. For a richer, restaurant-style finish, stir a tablespoon of ground almonds through in the last 15 minutes. The same braise, with the simmer trimmed to about 90 minutes, is excellent on lamb forequarter chops if you're cooking from a different part of the freezer. A cucumber raita and warm naan alongside make it a full table.

Storage and Leftovers

Like most curries, this is better the next day — the spices settle and deepen overnight. It keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge and freezes for up to 3 months; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water. The stretch move: shred the meat off both bones back into the sauce and it will feed four over rice, no trouble. If shanks disappear fast in your house, there's always a spare pack to keep on hand.

Frequently asked questions

Is rogan josh very spicy?

Not necessarily — traditional Kashmiri rogan josh is deeply aromatic rather than hot, with the red colour coming from mild Kashmiri chilli. Adjust the chilli powder up or down to suit your table; the recipe as written is gently warm, not fiery.

Why did my yoghurt split?

It usually splits from going in too fast or too hot. Take the pot off the heat, use room-temperature yoghurt, and whisk it in a spoonful at a time. If it does split, keep stirring over low heat — it often comes back together as the sauce cooks down.

Can I make it in a slow cooker?

Yes — do the browning, onion and spice steps in a pan, whisk in the yoghurt, then transfer everything to the slow cooker for about 7 hours on low. Stir the garam masala in for the final 30 minutes with the lid ajar to thicken.

What is ratan jot and do I need it?

Ratan jot is a natural colouring root used for the classic deep red, but it's optional and hard to find outside Indian grocers. Sweet paprika and Kashmiri chilli give plenty of colour without it, so leave it out with no loss to the flavour.

Can I use lamb chops or diced lamb instead?

You can — diced lamb is the traditional cut and needs about 90 minutes; chops work too. You'll lose the extra body the shank bones give the sauce, so let it reduce a little longer at the end to make up for it.

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