Sudhanshu Kumar’s Lamb Rogan Josh

Difficulty:

1/5

Ease of Preparation: Complex

Yield: 4-6 servings

This recipe is used with permission and is owned by Aanch restaurant

Ingredients:

1 pound (600 g) x 5-ounce lamb neck fillet, all visible fat removed, cut into 1-inch (3 cm) chunks

Marinade

1 tablespoon (15 ml) canola oil

1 tablespoon (15 ml) mustard oil

2 tablespoons (30 ml) dry fenugreek leaves

2 cinnamon sticks

2 mace flowers

5 cardamom pods, lightly crushed

3 dried bay leaves

4 whole nutmegs, crushed

4 cloves

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and finely grated

½ cup (100 g) fat-free natural yogurt

Rogan josh sauce

6 tablespoons (90 ml) cooking oil

1 onion, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped with stem included

1 red chili, seeded and roughly chopped

1 teaspoon (5 ml) black peppercorns, roughly ground

2 teaspoons (10 ml) red chili powder

1 teaspoon (5 ml) saffron

1 teaspoon (5 ml) rose essence

2 teaspoons (10 ml) garam masala

¼ teaspoon (1 ml) salt

1 teaspoon (5 ml) coriander cumin powder

2 cups (480 ml) warm water

2 tablespoons (30 ml) tomato purée

For garnish

Fresh coriander leaves

Julienned ginger

Method:

For the marinade, add canola oil, mustard oil, dry fenugreek leaves, cinnamon sticks, mace flowers, cardamom pods, bay leaves, crushed nutmeg, cloves, onion, garlic, and ginger to a food processor. Blitz until the mixture becomes a paste. Add paste to yogurt and stir. Cover the lamb with the mixture, then refrigerate for 2 hours, until the lamb gets tender.

For the rogan josh sauce, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add onion and sauté until golden brown. Add chopped tomatoes slowly, stirring as you do. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the coriander, red chili, ground peppercorns, chili powder, saffron, rose essence, garam masala, salt, coriander cumin powder and stir together, then cook for another 10 minutes.

For the lamb, add lamb to the saucepan with the rogan josh sauce then sauté for 10 minutes over medium heat. Add the tomato purée and stir. Add the warm water, cover with a lid, and simmer for 40-50 minutes, until cooked through.

Serve garnished with fresh coriander leaves and julienned ginger.