Lamb Rogan Josh

Traditional Indian aromatic curry.

• Main
• 680 g diced lamb
• 1 onion
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 200ml plain yoghurt
• 3 fresh red chillies
• 2 tbls sunflower oil
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• Spice paste
• 15 g fresh ginger
• 10 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 1 tbls coriander seeds
• 6 cloves
• 12 peppercorns
• 15 g dessicated coconut
• 15 g flaked almonds
• 7 cardamoms
• 1 tbls sunflower oil
• Garnish
• ½ tsp garam marsala
• Fresh parsley or corridander

Prepare the Spice Paste:
1. Roast the coriander seeds - either in a hot pan or under the grill until they start to make a popping sound. Put to one side.
2. Roast together the poppy seeds, cumin seeds, almonds, cardamoms, peppercorns and cloves. Put to one side.
3. Roast the dessicated coconut - keep turning it and watch it carefully as it can easily burn.
4. Put the above spices in a food processor and blend until smooth. Put into a separate bowl.
5. Put the ginger and garlic in the food processor and blend. No need to wash the processor bowl out first:)
6. Add roast ground spices into the food processor with the garlic and ginger paste with the single tablespoon of oil and blend for a few moments. Put the paste to one side.

Cooking
7. Sear the lamb in the pan and put to one side.
8. Finely chop the onion and red chillies in the food processor (I hate chopping chillies).
9. Gently fry these in the sunflower oil in a large heavy pan or caserole dish without browning.
10. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chilli powder, tumeric and above spice paste and stir.
11. Return to the heat and gently fry on a medium heat.
12. Add the yoghurt a little at a time stirring it in as you add it. This will stop it curdling.
13. Add the copped tinned tomatoes, stir in and cook for 5 mins.
14. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. If there is too much liquid, remove the lid and turn up the heat to reduce the sauce until it is rich and thick meaty.
15. Sprinkle with garam marsala and serve with freshly chopped parsley or coriander.