Rogan Josh

Been bored of the usual humdrum of my bland curries and I needed to bring some cheer and josh(heat/passion) into the routine. Although I do experiment with stuff, I try to be extremely careful with the oil/ghee or the helpings I have and the stuff I consume!
So in order to break that monotony for myself and to tread on paths I wouldn't dare to tread-I made this delicacy which is a signature dish in Kashmir to beat the winter chill. I could elaborate on that...but then that would almost look like a cut and paste stuff and why take you through that path when you could just google that yourself! It has its origin as a Persian dish.

Before I venture into that, I must tell you that I got ths recipe from one of those many books that a physically challenged person sold me years and years ago on one of my innumerable journeys by train within my state. No glossy pics, nothing to salivate, just matter of fact, simple printed recipes and the book just cost me one-fifth of a dollar :) there was no Chef in me back then...no let me rephrase that, I guess the Chef in me hadn't woken up then. Thus, a boring train journey back then, bore fruit three days back as I was rummaging through my various recipes....Aha! thus emerged the recipe for the night-ROGAN JOSH

Take half a kilo mutton/lamb, wash it thoroughly and then cube them and set aside for the marinade.

I have blanched and mashed around three tomatoes and sliced about three onions and kept aside. Fried these sliced onions in ghee( I have replaced it with butter-some guilt trip ether ways, besides I am not too fond of the smell of ghee) until they were golden brown. Added the tomato pulp.

For the masala-two tbsps. of grated coconut, two tspns. of chilly powder, half a tsp of cumin powder, a tsp of garam masala, half a tsp of turmeric powder,two or three green chillies, ten to fifteen almonds, half a piece of ginger, five cloves of garlic and half cup curd. The recipe calls for half cup ghee-GULP! I have reduced and replaced using butter(do prepare it with ghee)

The above ingredients in the masala were ground to a paste and I rubbed a quarter of the paste to my mutton cubes and set it aside to marinate for a while and the remaining masala went in with the sauteed  onions and  tomato pulp which continued to fry till the oil separated.

 Later add the marinated mutton cubes and toss them about with the fried onions and tomatoes, add enough salt and water and cook the dish till the gravy gets thicker.

You can pressure cook the marinated mutton ahead of time to save on gas. I didn't, as I wanted to watch this cook with eager eyes and truly speaking, it was a delicacy, could see the oil separate, infact even the fat in the mutton helped in bringing out a burst in flavours of the marinated lamb.

Once the dish was done and you could see the meat falling off the bone as a chef would put it, then you know it is tender and cooked through.Garnish with finely chopped cilantro. Ensure that the gravy is thick.

Goes well with plain white rice/rotis. It is spicy! This may not be the truest version of a Rogan Josh-perhaps a Kashmiri would contradict me or would add a few more spices/condiments. I have done my justice to this rich, creamy dish. It was to die for :)