Kashmiri Rogan Josh

Rogan josh is the recipe that I can say is an absolute hit every single time with family and friends. It is a braised lamb or goat dish believed to have originated in Persia before making its way to Kashmir and then other parts of India and beyond. Deriving its name from Persian word “Rogan” which means clarified butter or oil, while “josh” refers to  hot or passionate. Rogan josh thus means meat cooked in oil with an intense heat. This classic favorite is commonly served in the Kashmiri feast called “Wazwan”. Comprising of almost 36 courses, more than half of the Wazwan dishes are meat-based, such as tabak maaz, rogan josh, rista,  and gushtaba, along with an assortment of kebabs and vegetable preparations.

There are several versions of Rogan josh in existence, but the two most common are the Kashmiri Pandit (Hindu) version and the Muslim, or Mughal, version. The most significant difference between these two recipes is that the Hindu version does not use onions or garlic, as traditionally Kashmiri Brahmins do not eat them. The Muslim version uses onions, ginger and garlic, tomatoes  which completely changes the basis of this light lamb stew to a heavier richer dish, which is more common in restaurants.

This recipe does not involve too many ingredients, and you’ll see that it is quite simple to put together too. First, you need the meat of your choice – lamb or goat. In India, Rogan josh is often made with goat instead of mutton, since genuine lamb is less widely available than goat meat. The meat is seared in a hot pan/pot with whole spices before it is cooked on low heat with yogurt for about an hour, or till the rogan (oil) rises to the top of the dish!  Typically, a lot of ghee or oil is used for making rogan josh, however my recipe uses much less. As a result,  you won’t see a layer of oil in my pictures.

The signature spices used for this dish are hing/asafoetida (if you can find gluten free), fennel seeds and the dried ginger powder, along with a variation of combination of cinnamon, cardamom, and clove.  As I said above, there are no tomatoes added to the traditional dish, not even to enhance color. It gets its color from Kashmiri red chilies and a rare dried herb called alkanet root, cockscomb, or rattan jot. I bought powdered ratanjot from an Indian store here but it didn’t really work the way it should have because usually the oil turns bright red when alkanet is infused (check this picture over here). I always used to get alkanet in root form from India but this time I didn’t have any so I had to use the ratanjot powder. Nonetheless, the look of the gravy still turned out great and it was scrumptious to eat.

Brimming with flavors of fennel and ginger powder this hearty dish is perfect for fall or winter meal with tandoor cooked naan or boiled rice. Enjoy!