Indian Stew - alias Rogan Josh

The freezer is having a spring clean and specials purchased a few months ago are seeing the light of day. Today was the turn of mutton. This was turned into a Rogan Josh although the result was not the same Rogan Josh as you would get in your regular Indian Restaurant. This one had little oil, relatively little gravy and only those spices we had in the pantry at the time.

The other reason for cooking Rogan Josh was to use up the garden coriander which was reaching its use by date and needed to be eaten before it turned to seed.

Our Rogan Josh started with a little oil into which coriander, garlic, onions, fresh chillis, tumeric and ginger were blended then fried until the onions were translucent. A dessert spoonful of yoghurt was added to the mixture stirred and fried until the yoghurt reduces. Continue with more spoonfuls of yoghurt until it looks OK. Add garam masala and curry leaves. Finally add the meat. Add some more yoghurt. Stir and cover and cook on low. Before serving stir in chopped coriander leaves.

The meat dish was served with white rice, dahl, popadums and a cucumber, mint and yoghurt mix.

Mustard seeds were cooked in oil until they popped then add dried chillis and garam masala. The dahl was cooked in a little water and the aromatic mixture added towards the end of cooking.

The poppadums were lightly brushed with oil then cooked one by one in the microwave. The puriests would miss the oil from deep frying but I preferred the crispy dry effect.