Rogan Josh ( Hot Lamb Curry)

Rogan josh is an aromatic curry dish popular in India. Rogan means clarified butter in Persian, while Josh means hot or passionate. Rogan Josh thus means meat cooked in clarified butter at intense heat. The lovely color of Rogan Josh comes from the Kashmiri dry red chilies used to prepare it. These chilies have 'more bark than bite'! There are several versions of Rogan Josh and this one is tried and tested several times to great success.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lamb cubed
• ¼ cup yogurt
• Pinch of asafetida
• 1 bay leaves
• 4-5 cloves
• 3-4 cardamom pods
• 1” cinnamon
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (available in Indian Grocery Store)
• 1 medium-sized onions finely chopped
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 4 tbsp ghee or clarified butter (cooking oil can also be used)
• Salt to taste
• Chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

• Heat the oil in a large, preferably non-stick pan. When hot, put in asafetida, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, bay leaves and whole cloves. Fry till they turn slightly darker in color.
• Add lamb pieces; stir and cook uncovered, over high heat for about 5 minutes or until almost all the water released by the meat disappears and the meat browns very lightly. Keep the fried mutton pieces aside in a plate for later use.
• Now put in the onions and fry till they turn golden. Put in the ginger garlic pastes and fry for a minute.
• Then add powdered spices (coriander, cumin, turmeric, Kashmiri chili) and salt. Stir and fry for another minute.
• Stir in the fried meat and juices. Now put in one tbsp of yogurt. Stir and fry for about one minute or until the yogurt is well blended. Add the remaining yogurt, a tbsp at a time, in the same way. Stir and fry for another 3-4 minutes.
• Now add two cups of water. Cook covered on low heat, stirring occasionally, till the mutton is completely done and the oil surfaces.
• Sprinkle the garam masala over the meat.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with plain boiled rice or roti.

Do You Know?

Since ghee (clarified butter) is oil, it can bond with lipid-soluble nutrients and herbs to penetrate the lipid-based cell membrane of the body. It is stated to increase the potency of certain herbs by carrying the active components to the interior of the cells where they impart the most benefit.