Best Of Singapore Hawkers & Casual Dining: Mutton Rogan Josh
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| Mutton Rogan Josh |
Nothing was sponsored, we visited as regular paying customers. Photos in this post were taken between 2000 and 2025 (across 25 years!), as such, the quality of photos varies drastically due to advances in camera technology. Mobile smartphones were in their infancy and had yet to become widespread.
Also Known As:
Mutton Rogan Josh, Lamb Rogan Josh, Roghan Ghosht
Average Price Per Serving:
SGD $10 - $35
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List in alphabetical order - click the links to jump to entry
- 1. Al-Ameen Eating House / Ameen Makan House
- 2. Indian Tandoor North Indian Restaurant
- 3. Kinara
- 4. The Banana Leaf Apolo
- 5. Zaffron Kitchen
Bar Bar Black Sheep
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Description:
The Mutton Rogan Josh is a Singaporean Indian dish, featuring a rich spiced curry of mutton chunks, plain yoghurt, and powdered Kashmiri red chili. Also known as Lamb Rogan Josh, or Roghan Ghosht, the Mutton Rogan Josh dish is usually priced around SGD $10 to $35 per serving. It's commonly eaten for either lunch or dinner, typically accompanied by flatbread or rice.
The spice blend for Mutton Rogan Josh features cinnamon sticks, cloves, black cardamom, green cardamom, mace, black peppercorns, and bay leaves, bloomed in mustard oil. On the side, chunks of boneless mutton are rubbed with garlic, ginger, fennel seeds, powdered cumin, asafoetida / hing, and powdered Kashmiri red chili, then added to the spice blend and oil for gentle browning. Whisked plain yoghurt and water is gradually added while stirring, slowly simmering until the curry comes together. Other optional ingredients might be added, such as ratanjot / alkanet root, saffron, powdered coriander, or garam masala.
When the Mutton Rogan Josh is ready, a thin sheen of aromatic oil forms and floats to the surface; this is known as 'rogan'. Served garnished with either sliced ginger or fresh coriander. The curry will have a thick creamy oily texture, while the mutton will be tender chewy in texture. Carries robust meaty savoury sweet earthy spice flavour.
The Mutton Rogan Josh preparation emphasizes careful tempering of the mustard oil, gradual incorporation of plain yogurt, the bright bloom of powdered Kashmiri red chili, and patient simmering for depth of flavour. More affordable versions will use tomato paste or tomato puree and red onions in the curry, though purists will argue that this is not authentic, as it lends a touch of tangy sour notes to the dish.
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1. Al-Ameen Eating House / Ameen Makan House
@ 4 Cheong Chin Nam Road
Opening Hours: Daily 8am – 3am
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| Taken in 2010 |
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| Taken in 2025 |
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| Taken in 2025 |
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| Taken in 2025 |
Mutton Rogan Josh (SGD $9) @ Al-Ameen Eating House / Ameen Makan House.
Established in April 1992, this 2nd-generation stall is popular for its wide variety of tasty and value-for-money dishes, served in a casual setting.
Their rendition has tender boneless mutton chunks simmered in a rich thick tomato, plain yoghurt, and red onion curry gravy, spiced with Kashmiri red chili, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and other aromatic spices. Finished with fresh coriander.
Carries mild savoury spice sweet earthy meaty flavour, with a touch of vegetal sour tangy notes. Amongst the standout dishes here.
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2. Indian Tandoor North Indian Restaurant
@ East Village, 430 Upper Changi Road #01-65
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 2:30pm, 5pm – 10:30pm
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| Taken in 2025 |
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| Taken in 2025 |
Mutton Rogan Josh (SGD $18.90) @ Indian Tandoor North Indian Restaurant.
Established in May 2019, this casual restaurant is best known for serving hearty authentic North Indian dishes.
Their rendition has boneless lamb marinated with freshly ground spices, including Kashmiri red chili, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and cumin. It's then immersed and finished in a rich stew of plain yoghurt and red onions.
Has tender chewy creamy thick textures, with robust meaty savoury sweet earthy spice flavour. Generously portioned, this is best paired with flatbreads or rice.
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3. Kinara
@ 55 Boat Quay
Opening Hours: Daily 9:30am – 11pm
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| Taken in 2025 |
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| Taken in 2025 |
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| Taken in 2025 |
Mutton Rogan Josh (SGD $28) @ Kinara.
Established in December 1991 by husband-and-wife team of Raj Kishor Patro and Ritu Patro, this casual eatery is known for authentic North Indian curries presented with a fine-dining touch. Dishes are made with traditional recipes, using slow-cooking methods such as the tandoor clay oven.
No fewer than 14 spices bloomed in mustard oil are used to marinade the boneless mutton chunks, including Kashmiri red chili, black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, asafoetida / hing, and bay leaves, to which whisked plain yoghurt and water are gradually added. Garnished with strips of ginger.
The result is a pleasant and mild curry, bursting with deep meaty savoury sweet earthy spice flavour, having a velvety thick creamy texture while the mutton is tender and chewy, yum.
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4. The Banana Leaf Apolo
@ 54 Race Course Road
Opening Hours: Daily 10:30am – 10:30pm
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| Taken in 2012 |
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| Taken in 2025 |
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| Taken in 2025 |
Mutton Rogan Josh (SGD $24.90) @ The Banana Leaf Apolo.
This long-serving brand was established in October 1974 by Chellappan Sankaranathan, who named the casual restaurant after the Apollo 11 moon landing, with the hope that the restaurant would 'take-off' like a rocket.
They've given their rendition a South Indian flair, slow-cooking the deboned mutton chunks in a karahi wok, with a hot blend of mustard oil and spices, including cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and Kashmiri red chili. Enhanced with red onions, tomatoes, whisked plain yoghurt, and fresh coriander.
The result is a thick creamy oily yet mild curry gravy, carrying yummy meaty savoury vegetal tangy sour sweet earthy spice flavour. The meat is tender chewy and comes apart beautifully.
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5. Zaffron Kitchen
@ RELC International Hotel, 30 Orange Grove Road #04-02
Opening Hours: Daily 11am – 7:30pm
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| Taken in 2012 |
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| Taken in 2025 |
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| Taken in 2025 |
Mutton Rogan Josh (SGD $25) @ Zaffron Kitchen.
Originally founded by Joseph Lee in May 2011 and operated by the First Gourmet Group, this casual restaurant is known for serving authentic North Indian dishes, being awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand a total of 5 times (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022).
Chunks of deboned lamb are simmered in hot mustard oil and whisked plain yoghurt with a medley of spices, including cumin, black cardamom, green cardamom, cinnamon, asafoetida / hing, bay leaves, and Kashmiri red chili.
The meat is tender chewy chunky, while the curry gravy is thick creamy oily, carrying lovely meaty savoury sweet earthy spice flavour. Completed with slices of ginger, this dish is regarded as being low in fat and high in protein.
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| Taken in 2015 |
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| Taken in 2022 |
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| Taken in 2022 |
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