This is a print preview of "MY Rogan Josh" recipe.

MY Rogan Josh Recipe
by Amos Miller

MY Rogan Josh

A long-time favorite of mine, and very popular in the UK, is this exquisite dish from Kashmir, northern India. Meat-eater or vegetarian, your palate will sing the praises of Rogan Josh! I first enjoyed the dish in 1968, when a very good friend introduced me to it in New York city. I've been hooked ever since.

Unlike the dishes we associate with "curry powder", Rogan Josh is a beautiful red sauce, creamy and lush.

Many recipes use tomato in some form. I have been taught that tomatoes were introduced by European traders, and, therefore, are not native to Rogan Josh. I recommend not using tomatoes in Rogan Josh because they really bring nothing to the table.

I use this sauce with lamb, chicken, goat or beef. It is a slow-cooked dish, so it would be well-suited to the crockpot kitchen. My friend, Lauren CoffeeMuffins, recommends using only chunky vegetables - whole button mushrooms, carrots, Bell peppers and root veggies - a terrific idea for a vegetarian dish!

Accompanied by a well done basmati rice dish and perhaps an Indian-kitchen-inspired vegetable dish or two, this is a perfectly wonderful dish to serve guests who appreciate complex and pleasant flavors, and not a lot of heat.

Rogan Josh runs to the mild- to-medium range of spicy. Not all Indian cuisine will 'light up the night' with heat, and this is one that will not. Rogan Josh is a perfect way to introduce someone to the exquisite culinary heritage of the Indian sub-continent.

Do not be afraid to blend your own spice mixtures - they become the stamp on your signature dishes. All you need, really, is a small electric coffee grinder dedicated to the grinding of your spices. All you need to do is thoroughly clean the grinder after use.

(TIP: 1 Tbs of granulated sugar buzzed for a couple of pulses in the grinder will 'clean' the machine of virtually all residual spice)

Following is how I have come to blend my spice mixure for the regal dish of Rogan Josh. I continue to learn from my more knowledgeable Kashmiri culinary friends. This recipe will provide seasoning for 2-3 lbs of any meat.

Rating: 4.7/5
Avg. 4.7/5 3 votes
Prep time: India North indian
Cook time: Servings: 4

Goes Well With: basmati rice

Ingredients

  • 4 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick (about 3")
  • 8 black peppercorns
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp cardomom seeds (I prefer black - but you can use green) [TIP: cardomom can often be found in pods. You must remove the seeds from the pods before cooking the dish]
  • (Process the above spices in your grinder to powder)
  • 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp tumeric powder
  • 2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 onions
  • 1 C thick yogurt combined with 1/2 tsp corn flour + 1/4 tsp corn starch (prevents separation)
  • 1 Tbs minced garlic
  • 1 Tbs minced fresh ginger
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp garam masala (a powdered blend of many spices)
  • 1/4 C chopped (cilantro leaves only) (optional garnish)
  • 2-3 lbs of meat OR chunky vegetables
  • 1/4 C cooking oil
  • 2 Tbs sweet butter (clarified would be perfect)

Directions

  1. THE SAUCE FOR ROGAN JOSH:
  2. Process the cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, fennel seeds, cumin seeds and cardomom seeds to a powder
  3. Add to the above: the paprika, tumeric, chili powder, cardomom, and cayenne pepper and combine
  4. Combine the yogurt,corn flour (not meal), and corn starch (TIP: this will prevent the yogurt from breaking down during cooking, keeping a creamy consistency)
  5. Incorporate the above spices into the yogurt mixture
  6. Make a fine paste of the garlic, ginger and sea salt (TIP: mincing the garlic and ginger will create an extremely smooth paste quickly when mashed into the salt)
  7. Incorporate the garlic-ginger paste into the yogurt sauce
  8. Grate the onions and incorporate the onions into the sauce
  9. Refrigerate the sauce as you prepare the meat
  10. Brown the selected meat throughly in the heated oil and sweet butter
  11. Add the sauce to the meat and simmer gently for 40 minutes (until done, depending of the meat you are using)
  12. Then the meat is done, remove to a serving dish
  13. With a very fine sieve, dust the Rogan Josh with the garam masala [TIP: I learned long ago from Mr. Singh that GARAM MASALA, whatever the combination of spices that went into it, is really a delicate "finishing" spice, like a finishing salt or vinegar or oil in other cuisines. Hence, while some cooks add it during the cooking stage, Kashmiri chefs will add the garam masala as a dusting on the plated dish, adding immeasurable nuance and delicacy to the serving.]
  14. Sprinkle the chopped cilantro to garnish