Lamb Shank Rogan Josh Food

ROGAN JOSH, LAMB SHANKS

Steps:

• Stir the sour cream and all-purpose flour together in a small bowl until smooth and set aside. In a separate small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water to make a paste.
• Combine the chili powder, coriander, ginger, bouillon cubes, cardamom, tomatoes, water, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Slowly add the cornstarch paste to the tomato mixture, stirring constantly; simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly stir in the sour cream and flour mixture.
• Arrange the onions across the bottom of a slow cooker, lay the shanks on top of the onions and pour the prepared tomato mixture over the meat. Place the carrots, potatoes and mushrooms on top of the sauce.
• Cover and cook in the slow cooker on High for 8 hours.

LAMB ROGAN JOSH

Steps:

• To make the paste, in a mixer, blend together the coriander stalks, red chilli, ground spices and salt. Mix in the tomato purée.
• To cook the lamb, heat the oil in a large heavy-based casserole. Fry the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, bay leaves and cloves for 2 minutes. Add the onion and lamb and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 2 minutes.
• Add the spice paste and fry for another 2 minutes, stirring
• Add 400ml/14fl oz water, then cover with a lid and simmer for 40-50 minutes, until cooked. Stir in the yoghurt and cook for 10 minutes. Serve garnished with the fresh coriander leaves.

LAMB ROGAN JOSH

Steps:

• For the lamb preparation: Chop lamb into bite-size pieces. In a bowl, combine lamb, yogurt, salt, turmeric and lemon juice and mix together. Allow to sit for 15 minutes. Rinse the lamb with water to draw out impurities and any gamey odors.
• For the curry: Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mustard oil and allow it to smoke. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Spoon in the ginger paste and garlic paste and saute until slightly browned, about a few minutes.
• Toss in the lamb pieces and saute until the lamb begins to shrink and develop a nice shine, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the asafetida and salt and saute for 1 minute.
• In another bowl, mix together 1/2 cup water with the chile powder, fennel powder, garam masala, ginger powder and turmeric. Add this mixture to the saucepan. Saute until you see the oil bubbling up, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the yogurt and stir well for about 2 minutes. Add 2 to 3 cups water.
• Cover the pan and simmer on medium-low heat until the lamb is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the fenugreek leaves. Allow it to settle down, covered, for about 20 minutes.
• When ready to serve, spoon the curry out into bowls. Garnish with the cilantro and serve with a side of basmati rice, chapati or naan.

LAMB SHANK ROGAN JOSH

Steps:

• Mix together the flour, chilli powder, corriander, ginger, salt and nutmeg. Dust the shanks in the flour, reserving any excess.
• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade. Pour the oil into a large roasting tin and place over a high heat. Cook the lamb shanks for 10 minutes, turning until well browned, then transfer to a large plate and set aside.
• Add the onion to the pan and cook for 10 minutes until golden brown. Add the reserved spiced flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuosly. Stir in the yogurt and stock.
• Return te lamb to the pan. Add the cardamon and saffron and bring to the boil. Cover tightly with foil and cook for 90 minutes. Add the tomato wedges and cook for a further 40-60 minutes until the lamb is almost falling away from the bone. Serve hot.

KASHMIRI ROGAN JOSH

Steps:

• Using a spice grinder or a pestle and mortar, grind the black and green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cumin seeds and chillies to a fine powder and set aside.
• In the small bowl of a food processor, whizz together the garlic and ginger with a good splash of water to a purée. Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan, add the lamb and brown well for 8-10 mins over a high heat. Add the purée and turn the heat down to medium, stirring constantly, as the mixture begins to reduce. The purée is ready when you see clear oil in the pan, this will take 3-5 mins.
• Give the yogurt a good stir to break up any lumps, then add half of it to the pan. Cook over a medium-high heat, stirring constantly and briskly, folding the yogurt into the lamb, for 8-10 mins until it has been fully absorbed by the meat. Repeat with the next batch of yogurt, stirring constantly as before. Once it is boiling, turn down to a simmer and stir occasionally until it has reduced by about a third. Add the reserved ground spices, the ground coriander and some seasoning.
• Cook for a few mins, stirring continuously, then cover with a lid and leave over a low heat for 1 hr 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender. If the sauce looks dry, add a splash of water.
• Grind the fennel seeds to a fine powder in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar, then add to the pan with the garam masala, ground almonds and some black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then cook for 1 min. Sprinkle over the coriander and serve with naan bread, if you like.

LAMB SHANK ROGAN JOSH

Steps:

• With paper towels, gently pat any excess moisture from the lamb shanks. Set aside.
• In a gallon-sized Ziplock or other bag, combine the flour, chili powder, coriander, ginger, cumin, salt and nutmeg. Add the lamb shanks and shake to dust the shanks in the mixture.
• In a large dutch oven (I use my big, round Le Cruset pot), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the dusted lamb shanks from the bag. Reserve any remaining flour/spice mixture from the bag, setting it aside.
• Brown the lamb on all sides for about 7 to 10 minutes, careful not to let the flour/spice mixture burn. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and set aside.
• Add the thinly sliced onion and celery to the dutch oven and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the onion is golden brown. Add the reserved flour/spice mixture and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Stir in the stock and yogurt until well mixed.
• Return the browned lamb to the dutch oven, turning the shanks so that they're covered in sauce. Add the cracked cardamom pods and saffron and bring to a gentle boil. Cover tightly with dutch oven lid and cook at medium low for 90 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes (and tomato sauce, if you feel the there's not enough liquid in the pot) and cook for an additional 40 to 60 minutes until the lamb is tender and falling away from the bone.
• Separate the meat from the bone/fat/gristle and serve with the sauce (which I prefer to put through a gravy-fat separator, first).
• Serve hot with rice and naan. Saag aloo or curried lentils also go well with this dish!
• Note: make sure your spices aren't stale or the flavorings in this dish simply won't be nearly as delicious.