LAMB CHOPS ROGAN JOSH
Who thought Rogan Josh was a chef working in a posh restaurant?
Rogan josh, also written roghan josh or roghan ghosht, is an aromatic meat dish of Persian or Kashmiri origin. It is made with red meat, traditionally lamb or goat. It is one of the signature recipes of Kashmiri cuisine. The name translates roughly into “red lamb”.
- Paste:
- 2 green chilies with seed (remove seed for a milder curry)
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed
- 1 teaspoon poppy seed
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Curry :
- 4 tablespoons oil
- ½ cup plain yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- 2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 3 teaspoons garam masala
- salt, to taste
- 6 lamb chops fat trimmed
Paste: Dry toast, ground coriander, cumin turmeric and poppy seeds in pan over low heat until spices brown slightly and become aromatic. (Shake pan so spices don’t burn.) Place into a food processor with garlic, ginger, onions and chillies and blend until smooth. You may need to add a little water to help the blending.
Curry: Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan add paste mix and fry, stirring constantly about 5 min..
Stir in yoghurt, a spoonful at a time.
Add mint, tomatoes, garam masala and salt and fry, stirring, for 5 minutes.
Add lamb chops and turn in paste over high heat to coat.
Reduce heat to very low, cover and cook for 2 hours or until the lamb is very tender. (Do not add any liquid). Stir occasionally to prevent spices from sticking to base of pan.
Serve with rice, lentil, potato, green beans and chapati , tomato and cucumber salsa.
Recipe and Photo: Elize de Kock
