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So I’ve been on an Indian food kick lately. It started with the crockpot full of chickpeas the other day and exploded from there. First, I made Chana Saag. Then, last night I made Rogan Josh and today I am making cilantro chutney. I am obsessed ya’ll!

As per the request of the lovely Julie Pitts Talbert you will get my recipe for Rogan Josh today. It’s mostly traditional but, not totally. I add way more heat (Cayenne) to mine because well that’s the way I like it. I also omit the yogurt because well, that’s the way I like it. Ha ha

Rogan Josh reminds me of a Creole dish we eat at home all the time: Smothered Steak. It’s almost exactly the same preparation as well but, the seasoning are obviously different, as well as the lamb. The prep time is pretty minimal with this dish, which is MY KIND OF COOKING! A really basic chop and drop meal if I ever seen one. The only thing that makes most people shy away from making the dish is that it is filled with Indian Spices. Now however, you can find most of these spices in your local grocery store if you don’t have a specialty store near by. But, it is of course WAY WAY cheaper to just head down to an Asian or Indian market or better yet order online.

So the ingredients: Lamb (I used lamb Shoulder and a few lamb chops), Onion, Garlic, Tomatoes (I used fresh but, others used stewed), Coriander /Cilantro (fresh), Cumin Seeds and Powder, Ginger Fresh/ Powder (this stuff is amazing to have around anyway), Paprika/Chili Powder/Cayenne Pepper (depends on your heat tolerance), Serrano Pepper (optional), Garam Masala, Cardamon Powder, Ghee, Turmeric,  Hing/Asafoetida (optional) and dash of Cinnamon. This list sounds long I know but, 90% of it contains spices. Secondly, if you like making Indian food you will use these OFTEN. Plus, things like cumin, coriander, and cardamom are great ways to add spice to non Indian Foods… I added some to my chicken stock last week…YUM! Lastly, the best reason to go online or to an Indian market is these things are WAY WAY WAY cheaper. I bought a gigantic BAG of turmeric for $4. Of course they have smaller ones for like $1 at many places. It’s well worth the trip! PS.. YOU can also buy a pre-made Rogan Josh Seasoning mix as well if you don’t want all the hassle of buying the herbs separately. I have one by East End and I know Penzey’s makes one as well.

The technique is unbelievably simple. You add half the Ghee to a pot with your chopped onions and garlic (save some uncooked garlic for later). You cook until they are translucent and remove. While that is cooking add some cumin, coriander powder, coriander seeds, garlic & onion powder OR Asafoetida to the meat. After the onions are done add the remaining ghee to the pan. Cook/ shallow fry the lamb is small batches. You want the outside to caramelize a little. After all of those are cooked…add in half the onions and garlic back to the pot with the tomatoes, remaining dry seasonings, and two cups of water. Give a good stir and allow to cook for up to an hour or when the lamb is once again super tender.  At the very end, maybe 10 minutes left to cook, I add another teaspoon of ginger powder, the remaining garlic and onions, and fresh cilantro.  Serve with some steaming Basmati Brown Rice and you are in BUSINESS!!!

P.S. at the very very end is when traditionally you would add the plain yogurt. If I did this I would use fat free Greek Yogurt because it cooks really well without separating. Plus, it adds even more protein, which will fill you up even faster!

I hope you enjoy making your very own Rogan Josh. I’d love to see pictures when you make yours.

Bon Appetit

ROGAN JOSH

SERVES 6-8

1-2 LBS        Lean cut lamb

2-3 Cups      Onion

1 Cup            Tomatoes –chopped

½ -1 Cup      Fresh Garlic – chopped (save some uncooked for the end)

2 TBSP          Ghee/Clarified Butter

1-1.5 TBSP    Cumin Seeds (I add when I am cooking the meat)

1 TBSP           Cumin Powder (season meat before cooking)

1 TBSP           Ginger Powder (save a little for the end)

1 Tsp              Garam Masala (some recipes call for more but, I’m not a fan)

1 TBSP           Cardamon Powder

2-3 TBSP       Chili/Paprika/Cayenne Pepper (depends on the heat you want)

Dash               Cinnamon

¼ Cup             Fresh Coriander/Cilantro

Serrano Pepper (optional)

1 Tsp              Hing/Asafoetida (optional)

1-3 Cups        Water

 

DIRECTIONS

1.Cook Onions and Garlic w/ Ghee until translucent. Save 2-3 tbsp of fresh garlic to add at the end.

2. Cut Lamb into small chunks and season.

3. Remove Onions and set aside. Add the remaining Ghee to pan with the lamb in batches. Give a good sear on both sides. At the end add the Cumin seeds to give a little toasting. About 1 min and then

4. After lamb is cooked add 1 cup of water.

5. Add the tomatoes, half of the onion/garlic mixture, dry seasonings, Serrano pepper. Stir and cover with a lid

6. Allow the mixture to cook down for 30 minutes. Check to see how much fluid is left. If it’s getting too thick add more water. Allow food to cook for another 15 minutes.

7. Check to see if the lamb is tender. If it is, add the remaining onions/garlic, reserved ginger powder, fresh cilantro. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. If not add a little more water and wait 15 minutes. Once tender do the above.

8. Viola! All done. Serve with Brown Basmati Rice. If you want to add yogurt now is the time to do so!

NUTRITIONAL TIDBITS

LAMB: Omega 3, CLA (if grass fed), Protein, Selenium, B12, B3,  Zinc, Phosphorus, and Iron. Lamb is a good source of vitamin B12 and also provides important amounts of the B vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, folate, biotin, pantothenic acid and choline. Vitamins B6, B12, folate and choline are especially important for healthy metabolism of homocysteine. High blood levels of homocysteine are a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease. A second area where we would expect to see health benefits from lamb consumption would involve blood sugar regulation. Lamb has long been a part of menus and recipes endorsed by the American Diabetic Association, where it is viewed as a lean meat that is high in protein and that can be beneficially incorporated into recipes in amounts of 3-4 ounces per serving.

TURMERIC: Manganese, Iron, B6. Fiber, Curcumin and Potassium.  Turmeric, the bright yellow of the spice rainbow, is a powerful medicine that has long been used in the Chinese and Indian systems of medicine as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat a wide variety of conditions, including flatulence, jaundice, IBS, menstrual difficulties, bloody urine, hemorrhage, toothache, bruises, chest pain, and colic. Curcumin is a powerful component of Turmeric. It has amazing anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor/cancer properties.  Epidemiological studies have linked the frequent use of turmeric to lower rates of breast, prostate, lung, pancreatic and colon cancer; laboratory experiments have shown Curcumin can prevent tumors from forming and creating cell death in pancreatic tumors.

CILANTRO/CORIANDER: Dietary fiber, Manganese, Iron, Magnesium. In traditional medicine cilantro/coriander has been used for its anti-inflammatory  and antimicrobial properties and is being studied for its ability to stabilize/control blood sugar and lower/balance cholesterol. Cilantro has long be used in varying cuisines for its taste but, also for it’s ability to fight salmonella. Researchers in Mexico and US are currently doing more thorough studies on what properties in cilantro can do that.

TOMATO: Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Molybdenum, Potassium, Manganese, Dietary Fiber, Chromium, Vitamin B1, B3, B2, B5, and B6, folate, Copper, Magnesium, Iron, Phosphorus, Vitamin E, Tryptophan, Lycopene and protein. In contrast to many other food phytonutrients, whose effects have only been studied in animals, lycopene from tomatoes has been repeatedly studied in humans and found to be protective against a growing list of cancers. These cancers now include colorectal, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers. Organic ketchup delivers three times as much of the cancer-fighting carotenoid, lycopene, as non-organic brands. Tomatoes and broccoli-two vegetables separately recognized for their cancer-fighting capabilities-are even more successful against prostate cancer when working as a team in the daily diet, shows a study published in Cancer Research. Niacin has been used for years as a safe way to lower high cholesterol levels. Diets rich in potassium have been shown to lower high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.

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