Traditional Lamb Rogan Josh with Yogurt Sauce

Name: Traditional Lamb Rogan Josh with Yogurt Sauce
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ginger; garlic cloves; beef stock; vegetable oil; lamb stew meat; cardamom seeds; bay leaves; cloves, whole; peppercorns; cinnamon sticks; onions; coriander; cumin; paprika; cayenne pepper; salt; yogurt, plain; garam masala; black pepper

Submitted by bklaschus

Traditional lamb rogan josh, the aromatic Kashmiri curry. Tender lamb braised low in a fragrant base of whole spices, browned onions, ginger and garlic, with yogurt stirred in for a rich reddish-brown sauce.

YIELD

6 servings

PREP

15 min

COOK

25 min

READY

45 min

Rogan josh hails from Kashmir, and its deep, reddish-brown sauce is built on patience and whole spices, not shortcuts. The aroma alone, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, and bay sizzling in hot oil, tells you you’re making something real.

The technique that defines this curry is how the yogurt goes in. Instead of dumping it all at once, you add it a tablespoon at a time, frying each addition into the meat before the next. This keeps the yogurt from splitting and builds a thick, velvety sauce that clings to the lamb.

Brown the meat in batches first so it sears rather than steams, then bloom the spices, fry the onions to a deep brown, and stir in a fresh ginger and garlic paste.

A long, low simmer turns tough stewing lamb meltingly tender. Finish with a sprinkle of garam masala stirred in off the heat, where its fragrance stays bright.

Chef Tips

Add the yogurt one tablespoon at a time, frying it in, so it blends smooth instead of curdling.
Brown the lamb in batches; crowding the pan steams the meat and dulls the flavor.
Let the whole spices sizzle until fragrant and the cloves swell before adding the onions.
Stir the garam masala in off the heat at the end so its aroma doesn’t cook away.

Variations

Use goat or beef in place of lamb, extending the simmer until fork-tender.
Add a pinch of Kashmiri chili for the classic red color without much heat.
Serve over basmati rice or with warm naan to soak up the sauce.

Ingredients

CUBES GINGER
1 inch, chopped *

GARLIC CLOVES *

1 ½

CUPS BEEF STOCK

TABLESPOONS VEGETABLE OIL

POUNDS LAMB STEW MEAT *

CARDAMOM SEED *

BAY LEAVES *

CLOVES, WHOLE *

PEPPERCORN
whole *

CINNAMON STICK
1 inch *

MEDIUM ONIONS

TEASPOON CORIANDER
ground

TEASPOONS CUMIN

TEASPOONS PAPRIKA

TEASPOON CAYENNE PEPPER

1 ¼

TEASPOONS SALT

TABLESPOONS PLAIN YOGURT

TEASPOON GARAM MASALA *

BLACK PEPPER *

Directions

Put the ginger, garlic, and 4 tablespoons water in blender.

Blend well until you have a smooth paste.

Heat the oil in a wok to medium high heat.

Brown the meat cubes in several batches and set to one side.

Put the cardamom, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and cinnamon into the same hot oil.

Stir once and wait until the cloves swell and the bay leaves begin to take on color.

Now put in the onions.

Stir and fry for about 5 minutes or until the onions turn a medium brown color.

Put in the ginger garlic paste and stir for 30 seconds.

Add the fried meat cubes and juices.

Stir for 30 seconds.

Now put in 1/6 of the yoghurt.

Stir and fry for 30 seconds or until the yoghurt is well blended.

Add the remaining yoghurt, a tablespoon at a time, in the same way.

Stir and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Now add the rest of the broth.

Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, scraping in all browned spices on the sides and bottom of the pot.

Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for about an hour if lamb and two if beef.

Every 10 minutes or so, give the meat a good stir.

When the meat is tender, take off the lid, turn the heat up to medium and boil away some of the liquid.

You should end up with a tender meat in a thick, reddish brown sauce.

All the fat that collects in the pot may be spooned off the top.

Sprinkle the garam masala and black pepper over the meat before you serve and mix them in.

* not incl. in nutrient facts

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