Last Sunday night, I decided to take my husband on a culinary journey through Kashmir's rough but sublime landscapes, all transcended for us in Indian cuisine by the Rogan Josh or the Kashmiri Lamb Curry.Kashmiri Lamb Curry
(from Indian Cuisine by Mridula Baljekar, in the Food Lover's Collection)
Serves 4
4 tbsp sunflower or olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2-inch/5-cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
5 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
400 g canned tomatoes
3 brown cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
700 g boned leg of lamb, cut into 2 to 5-cm cubes
2/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tsp flour
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp ghee, or unsalted butter
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until lightly colored. Remove from the heat and squeeze out as much excess as possible from the onion mixture by pressing against the side of the saucepan. Transfer the onion mixture to a blender or food processor with the tomatoes and their juice, blend to a purée, and set aside.
Return the saucepan to low heat and add the remaining oil. Add the cardamom pods and bay leaves and let sizzle gently for 20-25 seconds. Then, add the coriander turmeric, and chili powder. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Then, add the tomato mixture. Increase the heat to medium and continue to cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the oil separates from the spice paste, reducing the heat to lowtoward the last 2-3 minutes.
Add the lamb and increase the heat slightly. Cook, stirring until the meat changes colour.
Put the yogurt and flour in a bowl and beat together with a fork or wire whisk until smooth. Reduce the heat slightly and stir the yogurt mixture. 2 tablespoons at a time, into the meat mixture. Add the salt and tomato paste. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the water and bring it to a slow simmer. Re-cover and cook for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until the meat is tender.
Melt the ghee in a small saucepan over low heat, add the garam masala and nutmeg, and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Pour the spiced butter over the curry and stir in half the chopped fresh cilantro. Remove from the heat and serve with the remaining fresh cilantro, accompanied by naan or plain boiled (by absorption) basmati rice.
We ate this very flavourful lamb curry with a local Shiraz-Cabernet from the Pelee Island Winery, and it worked beautifully together!
(from Indian Cuisine by Mridula Baljekar, in the Food Lover's Collection)
This deliciously spiced lamb dish from the Himalayan region is traditionally cooked with a brilliantly colored variety of chiles. This color can be replicated by mixing chili powder with Hungarian paprika and a touch of tomato paste.
Serves 4
4 tbsp sunflower or olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2-inch/5-cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
5 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
400 g canned tomatoes
3 brown cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
700 g boned leg of lamb, cut into 2 to 5-cm cubes
2/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tsp flour
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp ghee, or unsalted butter
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until lightly colored. Remove from the heat and squeeze out as much excess as possible from the onion mixture by pressing against the side of the saucepan. Transfer the onion mixture to a blender or food processor with the tomatoes and their juice, blend to a purée, and set aside.Return the saucepan to low heat and add the remaining oil. Add the cardamom pods and bay leaves and let sizzle gently for 20-25 seconds. Then, add the coriander turmeric, and chili powder. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Then, add the tomato mixture. Increase the heat to medium and continue to cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the oil separates from the spice paste, reducing the heat to lowtoward the last 2-3 minutes.
Add the lamb and increase the heat slightly. Cook, stirring until the meat changes colour.
Put the yogurt and flour in a bowl and beat together with a fork or wire whisk until smooth. Reduce the heat slightly and stir the yogurt mixture. 2 tablespoons at a time, into the meat mixture. Add the salt and tomato paste. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the water and bring it to a slow simmer. Re-cover and cook for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until the meat is tender.
Melt the ghee in a small saucepan over low heat, add the garam masala and nutmeg, and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Pour the spiced butter over the curry and stir in half the chopped fresh cilantro. Remove from the heat and serve with the remaining fresh cilantro, accompanied by naan or plain boiled (by absorption) basmati rice.
We ate this very flavourful lamb curry with a local Shiraz-Cabernet from the Pelee Island Winery, and it worked beautifully together!
Bon appétit!
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