Rare Recipe Challenge: Rogan Josh

 

Don´t you just love it when you try something out on a whim and it turns out even better than you expected? That is what happened after  participating in my friend Lina´s Rare Recipe Challenge.

 

 

Now, I have always quite liked Indian food but I had not made any in ages. I also was a bit cautious about making any Indian food simply because it can be very spicy. I don´t mind it so much but it really affects my husband´s digestion and he ends up feeling awful! Curry, cardamom or cumin can be very strong if you aren´t used to them.It is a recipe of Persian origin which usually entails lamb and some very spicy chilies. As good quality lamb can be hard to find (and quite pricey) here in Spain, I decided to adapt the recipe and use beef. As I was reading more about the recipe, I discovered that others have used the recipe with chicken too.

I servd this with Basmati rice and sprinkled some shredded coconut on it as well as fresh mint.

I found this on a Spanish website called Lo Que Comemos  .I though it looked great and simple. I saw a recipe for Rogan Josh by Jamie oliver but read lots of bad reviews of it. Too much spice that overpowered the meat. So I decided to go for the lesser known chef and got brilliant results. Here is the translated recipe which I adapted slightly.

 

 

• 500 grams of cubed lamb or beef
• 2 small chopped onions (I have seen photos of This dish with purple onions. I sued white because I did not have purple. You decide what to want.)
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 200 ml chopped tomatoes
• 1 container of plain yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Salt and pepper taste
• Chopped mint or cilantro for garnish
• Olive oil for frying

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine the meat, spices and two tablespoons of yogurt.  Mix well.Let them marinate for at least an hour in the fridge, or overnight.

Remove the meat from the fridge and fry the onions. Place about a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and fry on low heat until transluscent.

Increase the heat to low medium and add the meat and fry until it is browned.

Stir in the rest of the yogurt.

Then add in the chopped tomatoes. Keep stirring for about 5 minutes until everything is wel, incorporated. Check for taste. I added some salt and pepper.

Lower the heat and cover the frying pan with a lid. Stir frequently to prevent the contents from sticking to the pan.

It is ready when the meat is tender and the sauce has reduced a bit. If it doesn´t reduce too much, don´t worry. That is perfect with the rice.

Serve with the garnish and grated coconut.

The meal was even better the next day. I mixed the leftover meat sauce into the rice.

 

The verdict and some things I have learned.

• The recipe was easy to make and follow.
• The result was delicious and I felt pretty proud of myself!
• It has reawakened an interest in Indian cooking.

As for my husband, he raved about it. Was I surprised!  He is still under the impression that I am some kind of culinary genius, which really isn´t true, but God love him for saying it!

Finally, I should thank Lina for the challenge  Lina, you rock! I am looking forward to seeing the other participants´entries.

Take care everyone and thanks for reading.

xxxx Natascha