"Efficient" Indian Cooking: Lamb Rogan Josh

Now this is one of those names that I just don't get, and I'm sure...or not... it has some meaning to some Brit named Josh Rogan, but I'm too lazy to google it right now, so if anyone can (or cares to) enlighten, please do. In any event, this is a recipe I got out of Food and Wine Magazine, and it's another example of how to get max complexity and flavor out of something that requires very little effort. I've read several other recipes for this classic dish online, and most call for much more toasting of spices and melding and mixing and other culinary gymnastics that if I can bypass, I will. I'm not lazy, just efficient! Also this was an article called Easy Indian that took complex Indian dishes and remade them for laz....er, efficient cooks like myself. And I have to say that this is an absolutely fantastic version...even though I've never had it before, but I can't imagine that it could get much better than this. Although I changed their browning instructions in the recipe below from what they called for because their advice to brown the pieces for "10-12 minutes" was, well, fucked up. I judge a lot of dishes I make by asking if they're "restaurant worthy", meaning would I be happy if I was served this out someplace. This one answers that with an emphatic "Hell yes!" with its rich, creamy, spicy sauce, slightly sweet onion, and tender lamb chunks. And enxt time I won't forget to pick up the IPA on the way home!
Okay, I just looked it up on the ever (ahem) "reliable" wikipedia. They said: "Rogan josh is an aromatic curry dish popular in India. Rogan means clarified butter in Persian, while Josh means hot or passionate. Rogan Josh thus means meat cooked in clarified butter at intense heat. Rogan Josh was brought to India by the Moghuls. The unrelenting heat of the Indian plains took the Moghuls frequently to Kashmir, which is where the first Indian adoption of Rogan Josh occurred."
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Lamb Rogan Josh
Recipe by Vikram Sunderam

from F&W: “Chef Way Vikram Sunderam relies on plenty of spices, like cardamom, cloves and cumin, to flavor this succulent lamb stew (the name translates roughly into “red lamb”).
Easy Way: Use Madras curry powder, a spice blend, in place of the individual spices.”

active time: 35 min
total time: 1 hr 45 min
servings: 4 to 6

ingredients:
1/4 cup canola oil
2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt
2 onions, thinly sliced (3 cups)
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
One 14-ounce can tomato puree
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2 cups water
1 teaspoon garam masala
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Basmati rice and warm naan, for serving

method:
1. In a large, enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Season the lamb with salt and cook (in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the lamb, because you know lambs hate crowds-bb) over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is browned, about 5 minutes per batch; using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate.

2. Add the onions to the casserole and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, 4 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, curry, turmeric, cayenne and bay leaves and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato, yogurt and water; bring to a boil. Season with salt.

3. Return the lamb and any juices to the casserole. Cover partially and simmer over low heat until the lamb is very tender, 1 hour. Stir in the garam masala; cook for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with rice and naan.
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one year ago today @ E.D.T: Hog Island is Oyster Heaven!

Lambing it up!

What do you do with a lamb shoulder roast that has been in the freezer for over a year? Well, once you get done praying that it's still good and not covered in freezer burn, you thaw out that SOB, find out that it is still perfectly fresh (whew), and braise it into savory perfection following this great recipe adapted from epicurious. In this Month of the New Recipes, this is absolutely a keeper. Dinner party worthy even. The lamb came out perfectly tender with just the right chew. The sauce was fantastic, rich, with a Middle Eastern feel from the lemon and figs, and perfectly set off by the tangy, minty yogurt sauce. Really delicious!

When you make this at home, find the best lamb you possibly can. Hopefully pasture raised, because in dishes like this the quality of the meat is so important. With all the other flavors happening around it....lemon, fig, saffron, & other spices....you don't want a too lamb-ey flavor dominating. As it turned out for us, it was a perfectly balanced dinner, served alongside some cous cous, and is one of those showoff meals that your guests will rave about. For wine I would recommend a big southern French red from the Rhone Valley or Languedoc. A California zin would also have the requisite up front fruit and body. Either way, pop those corks and grab your forks!
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Lamb Stew with Lemon and Figs
adapted from epicurious.com
makes 6 servings.

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups plain Greek-style yogurt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup warm water
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled

1 2 1/2- to 3-pound boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons (or more) olive oil
2 onions (about 1 pound), thinly sliced
1 small lemon (preferably Meyer), ends trimmed, quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 rounded teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup dried figs, stems trimmed, quartered lengthwise (about 4 ounces)
2 1/2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth


method:
Transfer yogurt to small bowl. Stir in mint; season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.)

Place 1/2 cup warm water and saffron in small bowl; let stand at least 20 minutes to infuse.

Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook lamb until brown on all sides, adding more oil as needed, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer lamb to large bowl. Pour all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot (or add 1 tablespoon oil if dry); heat pot over medium heat. Add onions; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add lemon, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and cayenne. Stir 1 minute. Add saffron mixture; stir, scraping up browned bits. Add tomatoes with juice, figs, and lamb with any juices to pot. Stir to coat. Add 2 1/2 cups broth.

Bring stew to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer until meat is tender, stirring occasionally and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls as needed if dry, about 1 1/2 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and chill.)

Bring stew to simmer, thinning with more chicken broth if necessary. Divide stew among 6 plates; top each serving with dollop of minted yogurt.