This Kashmiri rogan josh recipe is from my cookbook ‘The Curry Guy Bible’.
I’ve tried so many Kashmiri rogan josh recipes over the years. I love rogan josh so I’m always trying to perfect my recipe. Usually the recipes in cookbooks are pretty much the same, give or take an ingredient or two.
This recipe is different. Yes, you still get that classic flavour you’re expecting in an authentic Kashmiri rogan josh but this recipe takes it all up a level.
I first tried it when I visited the new Annayu at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel Heathrow. I was treated to some amazing curries that day that were all prepared by head chef at the time Madhup Sinha. His Kashmiri rogan josh was out of this world!
Delicious with naans or over rice!
About this recipe…
After such a delicious meal, I was determined to talk Madhup into sending me a few of his recipes. I’m so glad he did. You are going to love this one.
Madhup doesn’t use garlic or onion in his rogan josh. He also uses powdered ginger instead of ginger paste which gives it a flavour all its own. I was surprised to hear this as I am a big garlic fan but it really wasn’t missed.
Many chefs in India don’t use garlic or onion for religious reasons. Asafoetida is substituted and does the job really well.
Be sure to give this one a try. You’ll be glad you did. I’d love to hear if you agree with me that it’s the best rogan josh around.
Unusual Ingredient, ratton jot…
Madhup also suggests using Ratton Jot which is an organic herb from Indian. It’s used as a colouring agent that helps give the curry a deep red colour.
Ratton Jot is also called Alkanet Root here in the UK. It is not necessary to use this but it does help give the curry a nice red glow.
You can find it online here. If you can’t or can’t be bothered to get it, just add a little more paprika for a deep red colour.
Step by step photographs…
It’s always best to get all of your ingredients together before starting.
Start by toasting the whole spices for the spice blend.
Once fragrant and warm to the touch, allow to cool and then pound into a powder.
Add the ground spices for the marinade to the whisked yogurt and mix well.
Once mixed, add the meat and marinate for a few hours or overnight. The longer the better.
When ready to cook, heat the oil. Infuse the whole spices in the oil and add ground spices, including rottan jot if using.
Add the meat with the marinade that sticks to it and a little water to cover.
Continue to simmer until the meat is tender. The curry is ready when the meat is tender and the oil rises to the top.
Cook the sauce down until you are happy with the constancy. When serving over rice I like more liquid than when serving over naans or chapattis.
Dig in!
My Tips:
– Use spices that are as fresh as possible.Even when using ground spices.They should not only look fresh but also smell fresh.
– I use Mutton ,it has more flavor,and make sure the marbling in the meat is good which makes it tender when cooked.
– For best results marinate the meat overnight and keep it refrigerated. Keep the marinated meat at room temperature for sometime before adding into the hot Oil. This will not reduce the temperature of the Oil too much when you add the meat.
If you like the look of this rogan josh recipe, you might like to try some of these too.
Kashmiri lamb meatballs
Railway lamb curry
7 Ingredient Lamb Curry
Karalan lamb mappas
Curry house style lamb vindaloo
Curry house style lamb rogan josh
Kashmiri Rogan Josh
Ingredients
- 1kg (2lb 3oz) diced mutton or lamb on the bone
- FOR THE MARINADE
- 5cm (2in) piece of cinnamon stick Seeds from 6 green cardamom pods 10 black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 500g (2 cups) plain yoghurt 1⁄2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- SAUCE INGREDIENTS
- 200ml (generous 3⁄4 cup) rapeseed (canola) oil*
- 1 tsp rattanjot (optional)
- 2.5cm (1in) piece of cinnamon stick
- 3 whole black cardamom pods, lightly smashed
- 4 whole green cardamom pods, lightly smashed
- 5 cloves
- 5 dried Indian bay leaves (cassia leaves)
- 1⁄2 tsp asafoetida**
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 11⁄2–2 tbsp sweet paprika
- 200g (7oz) tomato purée
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Toast the cinnamon, cardamom seeds, peppercorns and fennel seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat. When the spices become fragrant (after about 2 minutes) and warm to the touch but not yet smoking, transfer them to a plate to cool slightly. Grind them into a fine powder using a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.
- Whisk the yoghurt until it is creamy smooth, then whisk in the ground spices along with the Kashmiri chilli powder.
- Place the meat in a large mixing bowl and rub the marinade into it with your hands. Cover and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight – the longer the better.
- When ready to cook, heat the oil in a large saucepan or wok over a medium heat. When visibly hot but not smoking, stir in the rattanjot (if using), the cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves and asafoetida and let these spices infuse into the oil for about 45 seconds.
- Stir in the ground ginger and paprika followed by the meat. Give it all a good stir to combine and coat the meat with the oil.
- Now add 250ml (1 cup) of water and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer over a medium heat for 45 minutes until the meat is nice and tender.
- Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a further 15 minutes, or until the texture of the meat is to your liking and the oil separates from the sauce. Season with salt and serve with naans or chapattis.
Notes
Using lots of oil is the traditional way of cooking this curry. If you would rather go for a much healthier option, use about 2 tablespoons of oil and add just enough water to cover and simmer the meat. There are plenty of curries on my blog that use less oil though, so I recommend giving this one a go just as it’s written so that you can experience it the way it’s meant to be.
I hope you enjoy this Kashmiri rogan josh recipe. If you do give it a try, please leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.
Leah
Friday 2nd of September 2016
Hi, iIm looking forward to this meal - I have the meat marinating in the fridge now! Reading through its not clear when I add the tomato puree and is it definitely a whole tube of 200g of puree? Thanks in advance!
Dan Toombs
Wednesday 21st of September 2016
Hi Leah
The recipe uses 200g but I have been using a little less. 200g tastes great though. Just add it when you add the ground spices.
Thanks, Dan