Recipe - lamb Rogan Josh

As demonstrated by Shahena Ali, of the Maharaja restaurant in Benfleet, Essex.

Ingredients

* 600g (1 lb) lamb , chopped into 2.5 inch pieces
* 3 Tbsp garlic and ginger paste
* 3 Tbsp oil
* 2 tsp salt
* 1 tsp turmeric powder
* 3 tsp garam masala
* 2 tsp coriander powder
* 2 tsp ground cumin
* 2 Tbsp plain yoghurt
* 1 tsp chilli powder
* 2 medium onions , finely chopped
* ¾ tin of peeled plum tomatoes
* fresh coriander , to garnish
* 1 saucepan with lid
* 1 metal or wooden spoon to stir

Step 1:
Fry onion
Add oil into a saucepan and heat on a high heat until it is very hot. Now add in the finely chopped onions and stir fry until the pieces soften and become translucent.

Step 2:
Add pastes
Then add the garlic and ginger paste and keep stir-frying for 3 minutes to prevent burning and until the mixture turns light golden.

Add all of the ground spices and keep stirring whilst continuing to fry on a high heat.

Step 3:
Add the meat
Then add the lamb and stir into the mixture; fry on a high heat for 5 minutes until the meat has fully browned.

Step 4:
Add tomatoes
Add in the tinned tomato and mash the tomatoes into the mixture with a spoon, taking care to ensure that the plum tomatoes do not remain in chunks and stir into the meat mixture.

Step 5:
Stir in yoghurt
Allow to cook uncovered for 5 minutes before adding the yoghurt. Stir this in and then cook on a high heat to bring this to the boil.

Now cover the pan with a lid simmer on a very low heat for 30 minutes. After this, take the lid off and give the mixture a stir.

Step 6:
Simmer and stir every 30 minutes
Replace the lid back on the pan and let it simmer for another 30 minutes. Repeat this for around one and half hours - and you will notice that the consistency of the mixture is a bit thicker – the meat is very tender and the colour of the sauce is redder/browner.

Serve hot (with rice), garnished with fresh coriander.

VideoJug is fantastic - check it out.

**********************
Sunday, and a busy day today.

Devi dropped over in the morning for a cup of tea. After all these years, she finally told me that one can remove the canvas from director chairs, including the piece of wood where it joins the seat, and wash them! Duh!

I went over to Klaudia's place for a really nice lunch with her family and friends.

Afterwards I returned home and had a nap.