Lamb Rogan Josh

Ingredients

• 900 g (2 lb) Boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into large bite-size pieces
• 120 ml (½ cup) Plain yoghurt, full-fat, at room temperature
• 3 tbsp Ghee or neutral oil
• 4 Green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 4 Whole cloves
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 2 large Onions, thinly sliced
• 5 Garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tbsp Fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder, or mild paprika with a pinch of cayenne
• 2 tsp Ground coriander
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp Ground fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste (purée)
• 400 g can (14 oz) Chopped tomatoes
• 240 ml (1 cup) Water
• 1½ tsp Fine salt
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• 2 tbsp Fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped, to serve

You’ll need: Large heavy pot with a lid, Whisk

Method

1. 1

   Brown the lamb. Heat 2 tbsp of the ghee in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in 2 or 3 batches, for about 5 minutes a batch, until well coloured on all sides. Do not crowd the pot. Lift the lamb out onto a plate.

2. 2

   Toast the whole spices. Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining ghee, then the cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Stir for 30 seconds, until they smell fragrant.

3. 3

   Cook the onions. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden brown. Add a splash of water if they stick. Well-browned onions give the sauce its body and sweetness.

4. 4

   Add the spices. Stir in the garlic and ginger for 1 minute, then the chilli powder, coriander, cumin, fennel and tomato paste. Stir for 1 minute, until the spices smell toasty.

5. 5

   Add the yoghurt. Take the pot off the heat for a moment. Whisk the yoghurt until smooth and stir it in a spoonful at a time, returning the pot to a low heat between additions. Stir for 2 minutes. This keeps the yoghurt from curdling.

6. 6

   Simmer. Return the lamb and its juices to the pot. Add the tomatoes, water and salt, and stir. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook on low heat for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened. Add a splash of water if it gets dry.

7. 7

   Finish. Remove the cinnamon stick if you like. Stir in the garam masala, taste and adjust the salt. Scatter with the coriander and serve with rice or naan.