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Rogan Josh Beef Curry

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My Rogan Josh Beef Curry recipe also includes the spice paste recipe, but do not be daunted, it really is quite simple to make your own spice paste and as a bonus you will have enough paste for several curries. Simply find a jar, sanitise it with a little white vinegar and boiling water. The paste will keep for a month in the fridge. If you wish to keep for longer simply fry the paste off before storage. See simples ;-) This is a rich red pepper based curry paste and indeed curry. Here I am using beef, but you could easily subsitute for lamb. This is a slow, long cook curry — 2 & 1/2 hrs — which will mellow out the curry perfectly. If you wished to make a chicken version, cook your sauce for 2 hours then add your chicken.

As always, Nutty has a short cut — You can initially start the cook on the hob and then transfer to a pressure cooker for 18 minutes, then finish it off on the hob.

And while we're on the topic of short cuts, if you really don't have time, you could buy a shop bought Rogan Josh paste, but, it will really pay off to make your own both in terms of authentic flavour and also cost, you'll get a lot more curries out of your own spice paste than you will from a little jar from the shops.

Click the Method tab below to see a step by step guide on how to make my Rogan Josh Beef Curry with pictures to guide you.

rogan josh and rice plated

ingredients

Here's what you need :¬)

Ingredients for the Spice Paste

whole spices

  • 8 green cardamon pods
  • 4 black cardamon pods
  • 2 Tbsp cumin seeds
  • 2 Tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 Tbsp black peppercorns
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 whole cinnamon stick
  • 2 whole bay leaves
  • 2 whole dried red chillies

wet Ingredients

  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 1/2 inch piece of ginger
  • 150g grilled red pepper
  • 4 Tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

ground spices

  • 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • 2 Tbsp garam masala
  • 1 Tbsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp sea salt

Ingredients for the Curry

serves 4

  • 1 Tbls veg oil
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 1 sweet pointly red pepper
  • 1 inch fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 700g diced beef or 350g beef & 350g of white mushrooms
  • 1 Tbsp plain flour (optional)
  • 4 to 6 Tbsp Rogan Josh Curry paste
  • 1 tsp extra hot chilli powder (optional)
  • 200g tin of Plum tomatoes mashed
  • 75ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp salt

Ingredients for the Garnish

  • Greek yogurt
  • Fresh Coriander

method

If you are going to make your own Rogan Josh Beef Curry paste, now's the time to do it! It doesn't take too long to make and if you do it the day before, assembling the curry is a breeze!

Method for the paste

  1. Heat a small pan & add all of your whole spices
toast the whole spices
whole spices for rogan josh
  1. Heat until they start to colour & smell fragrant
  2. Once done set into a pestle & mortar to cool
  3. When cooled grind to a powder
  4. pick out your cardamon pods & bash the husk off & just use the internal seeds
  5. Now grill your peppers until slightly charred*

*I use my health grill for this but you can use the pan you did your spices in

  1. Place all your wet ingredients except oil (garlic, ginger, grilled red pepper, tomato puree) into a blender & blitz until finely chopped
  2. Add your spices: freshly ground & pre-ground
spices, garlic, ginger, tomato puree
garlic spices ginger tomato puree
pre-ground spices
ground spices for rogan josh
  1. Blitz until fully combined & gradually add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil
  2. Once fully combined press tightly into a pre-sterilised jar
rogan josh curry paste
rogan josh paste

Seal and store in the fridge until needed.

Make the curry

  1. Heat a heavy based pan & add your onions, garlic, peppers & ginger
cook onions, garlic & peppers
rogan josh paste
  1. Fry until just starting to brown, push aside to create a well & add your salt, cumin & coriander seeds to fry. Once browned stir well to combine
add cumin & coriander seeds
rogan josh paste
  1. Place your fresh beef into the plain flour & combine to coat the beef
  2. Push your onion mixture to one side & turn the pan onto full heat
  3. Once really hot, add your beef & stir fry to combine
  4. When the beef has browned, add your spice paste & stir fry

Add chilli powder if using here!

add spice paste to browned beef
rogan josh paste
stir fry paste into beef
spice paste cooked into beef
  1. Add your vegetable stock cube & tomatoes
add stock & tomatoes
stock and tomatoes added
  1. As soon as it comes to heat, reduce the temperature & cover
  2. Set a timer & simmer for 1 hour, stir occasionally (every 20 mins or so) so it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan, then repeat for another hour*

*Or place into a pressure cooker for 18 minutes then continue as below

  1. Check the dish again, stir & cook for a further 30mins
rogan josh beef curry finished
rogan josh cooked in wok
rogan josh beef curry
rogan josh and rice plated
served with plain basmati rice & naan

Rogan Josh Beef Curry finished with fresh coriander and yogurt for that true authentic flavour.