The following recipe is adapted from Julie Sahni's recipe from _Classic
Indian Cooking_ :
Lamb Rogan Josh
2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
3 medium-sized onions, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger root
2 tablespoons ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon red pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 cup (half a stick) melted butter
2 pounds boneless lean lamb, preferably from the leg
3 tablespoons ghee or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus one tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups canned tomatoes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 - 1/3 cup milk, if needed
1. Put yogurt, sour cream, onions, ginger root, coriander, red pepper, and
salt into the container of a food processor or blender, and run the machine
until the ingredients are reduced to a fine puree. Put the yogurt mixture
into a ziploc bag, add the lamb and melted butter, seal bag, and squash it
around to coat. Let marinate at least 1/2 hour at room temperature or 2
hours in the refrigerator. (Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes
before you are ready to cook the meat.)
2. Heat the ghee over medium-high heat in a large heavy-bottomed pan
(preferably with a non-stick interior). Add the tomatoes and cook just until
they begin to caramelize. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the contents
of the ziploc bag. Gently bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer
and cook, covered, until the lamb is very tender. The lamb is done when a
fork or skewer pierces it without any resistance (about 2 - 2 1/2 hours,
depending on the heat, the pan used, and the quality of the meat). Stir
frequently to prevent the sauce sticking to the bottom of the pan and
burning.
3. Heat the 3 tablespoons ghee in a small frying pan over high heat. When it
is very hot, add the garlic, and, stirring rapidly, fry for 15 seconds.
Immediately add the cumin, cardamom, and garam masala. As soon as the
spices begin to sizzle and release their fragrance, turn off the heat and
pour the perfumed butter, along with the spices, over the meat. Add cream
and stir to distribute. Let the meat rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
4. When ready to serve, check for salt, then reheat the meat until piping
hot and serve.
NOTES: Sometimes too much moisture evaporates during cooking, causing the
ghee to separate from the sauce. If that happens, add a little milk or
water, a tablespoon at a time, until the fat is incorporated back into the
sauce. Do not degrease, as this fragrant ghee is one of the primary
flavoring ingredients in the dish.
Rogan Josh definitely improves in flavor with keeping. Therefore I would
advise you to make it the day before you are planning to serve it. It keeps
well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and also freezes well. Defrost
thoroughly before reheating. To reheat, simmer gently over low heat until
warmed through. As always, taste for salt, and if necessary, add a fresh
batch of perfumed butter (using very little butter, of course).
BOB'S NOTES:
1. The original recipe doesn't call for tomatoes. I just like it this way.
2. The garlic flavor was very subdued. Next time I make this, maybe I'll put
at least a few cloves of garlic in the marinade.
Bob