Tasty Rogan Josh
Rogan Josh is a dish that comes from Kashmir. Lamb pieces are fried along with spices and then cooked in a yoghurt-based sauce. Serve rogan josh with rice and a green salad.
Rogan Josh is a fragrant meat dish that originates from northern India. The term ‘rogan josh’ means to cook in oil at a very high heat. The distinctive feature of this dish is that is fiery red in colour. The red colour is a result of the Kashmiri red chillies that are added in plenty to this dish. However, the dish is not as spicy as it may appear. The heat of the chillies is toned down by the yoghurt, which is an essential ingredient in rogan josh. Traditionally, rogan josh is made with lamb or goat meat and usually contains ingredients such as saffron, fennel, cloves, cumin, cinnamon and red chillies.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 7 black peppercorns
- 3 black cardamom pods
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 piece of mace
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1½lb leg of lamb
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 inch piece root ginger, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoon ground cilantro
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground red chilli
- 2 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
- 1½ teaspoon garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 2 tomatoes, puréed
- 3 tablespoon plain yoghurt
- Chopped fresh cilantro to garnish
Directions
Cut the lamb into bite-sized pieces. Blend the garlic and ginger with one tablespoon of water to a smooth paste.
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the black peppercorns, black and green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon and mace and fry for until the spices are fragrant. Add the onion and fry for 10 minutes, or until golden. Add the lamb pieces and cook for 5 minutes until nicely browned all over. Add the garlic-ginger paste and stir well. Reduce the heat and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring every once in a while.
Add in the ground cilantro, cumin, red chilli, fennel seeds, garam masala, salt, tomato and yogurt. Cover the pan and then reduce the heat to low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the moisture in the sauce has almost evaporated. Add 3 tablespoons of hot water to the sauce, stir well and simmer for a further 8 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Now add enough hot water to almost cover the lamb, bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the lamb is done. Garnish with the chopped cilantro just before serving.
Tips
To get a smoother texture for the sauce, try lightly whisking the yogurt before adding it in. Picture credits go to Jvree.
