There is a little bit of a debate as to where the name 'Rogan Josh' originates from. 'Roughan' in Urdu translates to oil or butter and 'ghosht' means lamb, thus meaning meat stewed in butter which is how the dish is made. This dish also has a distinctive red colour to the oil and sauce, and originally this colour would come from from using the Alkanna tinctoria flower, also known as the dyer's alkanet, of which the roots produce a bright red colour when crushed. This could be another origin of the Rogan Josh name, as the flower's Urdu name is Ratan Jot. These days the colour comes from using Kashmiri chillies, or red chilli powder.
This is a good recipe for people who do not eat onion or garlic, as traditionally this would be made with a tablespoon of fennel seeds, and a teaspoon of hing/asafoetida which are also wonderful substitutes for onions and garlic in most curries. This dish originates from Kashmir, and Kashmiri versions of this recipe do not contain tomatoes, onion, or garlic despite them being a popular addition elsewhere. It is believed the inclusion of onion, garlic, and tomatoes was as a result of Punjabi influence when this dish was brought there by the Mughals. If you must add tomatoes, add them after the meat and cook for a while so the acidity and flavour is reduced before adding the yoghurt. If you don't have fresh ginger or garlic, use two tablespoons of ginger garlic paste.
This recipe is relatively easy, there is a bit of cooking at the beginning then you can just leave the covered pot on the stove on a very low heat for at least an hour and a half or so while checking occasionally, I often like to do this instead of a roast on Sundays. This does taste best when left to simmer for as long as possible. You want to cook this until a thick layer of red oil separates from the sauce and the meat is incredibly tender, and falls apart at the slightest touch. If I'm using lamb, I often have this simmering at a very low heat for up to three hours. For a vegetarian version substitute the meat with a mix of aubergine and cauliflower, and simmer the sauce for as long as possible then add chopped vegetables until cooked through. For a vegan version, substitute the yoghurt with a tin of tomatoes. This recipe is particularly excellent with Indian breads as you can pick up the bits of delicious meat.
Ingredients
-1kg of meat, diced in to chunks -400g of full fat yoghurt -One garlic, cloves crushed and chopped -One inch of grated ginger -Two onions -5 tablespoons of oil or ghee -Two inches of cinnamon stick, or one teaspoon of ground cinnamon -8 cardamom pods, crush and use the seeds, discard the pods -6 cloves -Three bay leaves -Two teaspoons of cumin, seeds or ground cumin -Two to three teaspoons of red chilli powder -One tablespoon of ground coriander -Two teaspoons of garam masala
Optional but recommended: Seeds from two black cardamom pods, two teaspoons of fennel seeds, generous pinch of saffron strands
METHOD:
-Heat oil in a pot, crush your whole spices by either using a mortar and pestle or put them in a freezer bag and crush them using a heavy object, then put in and stir for a minute -If using onions, stir and cook for about five minutes, add ginger garlic, cook for another 5 minutes -Add in your meat and brown for ten minutes, then reduce heat. Add ground spices and stir so that the meat is covered -Stir your yoghurt to remove any lumps, then add to the meat a bit at a time while stirring. Add saffron if using. Cook for a few minutes -Put a lid on the pan, or cover with foil and leave to simmer on a low heat for an hour and a half to two hours at least, checking occasionally that it is not sticking to the pan. Add a touch of water if this happens -Add two teaspoons of salt and a teaspoon of ground pepper, or more to taste. Cook for a further five minutes -Take out your bits of meat, garnish with freshly chopped coriander if you have it, and serve with rice and/or chapati -Enjoy!
Comments