Rogan Josh Recipes

ROGAN JOSH

Steps:

• Put the onions in a food processor and whizz until very finely chopped. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan, then fry the onion with the lid on, stirring every now and then, until it is really golden and soft. Add the garlic and ginger, then fry for 5 mins more.
• Tip the curry paste, all the spices and the bay leaves into the pan, with the tomato purée. Stir well over the heat for about 30 secs, then add the meat and 300ml water. Stir to mix, turn down the heat, then add the yogurt.
• Cover the pan, then gently simmer for 40-60 mins until the meat is tender and the sauce nice and thick. Serve scattered with coriander, with plain basmati or pilau rice.

KASHMIRI ROGAN JOSH

Steps:

• 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 1 to 2 minutes, or until the spices are sizzling and fragrant.
• Add the chopped onion, and fry for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring regularly, or until golden brown. Add the lamb pieces, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continually, until the lamb pieces are golden brown all over.
• Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend the garlic cloves, and ginger, with 1 tablespoon of water to a fine paste. Add the garlic and ginger paste to the lamb mixture, stir well to combine, and then reduce the heat, and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Stir in the ground coriander, cumin, red chile powder, fennel seeds, garam masala, tomato pulp, yogurt, and salt, to taste. Cover the pan with a lid, and then reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the sauce has almost completely dried out.
• Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of boiling water to the sauce, stir well and simmer for a further 7 to 8 minutes, stirring continually and adding splashes of water as necessary, until the volume of liquid has reduced and the sauce has thickened.
• Add enough boiling water to almost cover the lamb, and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the lamb is cooked through.
• Stir in the chopped fresh cilantro just before serving.

MUTTON ROGAN JOSH RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat oil or ghee in a heavy bottom pot and add bay leaf, green cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and black cardamoms. (If you opt for the ground spices, add them later.)
• When the spices begin to sizzle in oil, add mutton and sear it for 1 to 2 minute on a high heat.
• Reduce the heat to medium and fry for another 4 to 5 minutes until the meat is slightly brown.
• While you fry the meat, add yogurt to a mixing bowl. Also add ground spices - red chilli powder, fennel powder, dried ginger powder and salt.
• Whisk all of them well. If your yogurt is too thick (like Greek yogurt), add 3 to 4 tablespoons of water or stock and whisk it well until smooth.
• Once the meat is light brown in color, add hing to the oil. Take the pot off the stove and slowly stir in the spice and yogurt mixture.
• Mix well and place the pot back on the stove. Cook covered for 3 to 4 minutes on a medium heat.
• Pour 1 cup hot water or stock. Cook covered on a low heat until tender, adding more hot water if required.
• Stir rogan josh every 7 to 8 minutes. When it is done, the mutton pieces should be soft, tender and fall off the bone.
• The cook time depends on the kind of pot, source of heat and the intensity of heat. Do not forget to add more hot water (if required) as you cook.
• The gravy in Rogan josh is neither runny nor too thick but is slightly thick as the some of the bone marrow seeps into the liquids. This results can be achieved only by slow cooking the dish.
• Taste test and add more salt if required. Turn off the heat and rest for few hours before serving. This helps to develop the flavors.
• Serve rogan josh with Butter Naan, Basmati Rice, Paratha or Roti. It is best served with plain rice.

LAMB ROGAN JOSH

Steps:

• For the lamb preparation: Chop lamb into bite-size pieces. In a bowl, combine lamb, yogurt, salt, turmeric and lemon juice and mix together. Allow to sit for 15 minutes. Rinse the lamb with water to draw out impurities and any gamey odors.
• For the curry: Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mustard oil and allow it to smoke. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Spoon in the ginger paste and garlic paste and saute until slightly browned, about a few minutes.
• Toss in the lamb pieces and saute until the lamb begins to shrink and develop a nice shine, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the asafetida and salt and saute for 1 minute.
• In another bowl, mix together 1/2 cup water with the chile powder, fennel powder, garam masala, ginger powder and turmeric. Add this mixture to the saucepan. Saute until you see the oil bubbling up, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the yogurt and stir well for about 2 minutes. Add 2 to 3 cups water.
• Cover the pan and simmer on medium-low heat until the lamb is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the fenugreek leaves. Allow it to settle down, covered, for about 20 minutes.
• When ready to serve, spoon the curry out into bowls. Garnish with the cilantro and serve with a side of basmati rice, chapati or naan.

KASHMIRI ROGAN JOSH

Steps:

• Using a spice grinder or a pestle and mortar, grind the black and green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cumin seeds and chillies to a fine powder and set aside.
• In the small bowl of a food processor, whizz together the garlic and ginger with a good splash of water to a purée. Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan, add the lamb and brown well for 8-10 mins over a high heat. Add the purée and turn the heat down to medium, stirring constantly, as the mixture begins to reduce. The purée is ready when you see clear oil in the pan, this will take 3-5 mins.
• Give the yogurt a good stir to break up any lumps, then add half of it to the pan. Cook over a medium-high heat, stirring constantly and briskly, folding the yogurt into the lamb, for 8-10 mins until it has been fully absorbed by the meat. Repeat with the next batch of yogurt, stirring constantly as before. Once it is boiling, turn down to a simmer and stir occasionally until it has reduced by about a third. Add the reserved ground spices, the ground coriander and some seasoning.
• Cook for a few mins, stirring continuously, then cover with a lid and leave over a low heat for 1 hr 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender. If the sauce looks dry, add a splash of water.
• Grind the fennel seeds to a fine powder in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar, then add to the pan with the garam masala, ground almonds and some black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then cook for 1 min. Sprinkle over the coriander and serve with naan bread, if you like.