Mutton Rogan Josh

Mutton Rogan Josh -

Treat your senses to this delicacy from Kashmir...

Ingredients:

3/4  lb meat (mutton/goat meat/lamb), preferably meat with lot of fat - cut  in 2 inch pieces
scant  3/4 cup yogurt + 2 tablespoon yogurt (yogurt should be well drained or use Greek yogurt)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 green cardamom – powdered (peel the cardamom and grind the seeds to a fine powder either with a mortar & pestle or spice grinder)
2 black cardamom – powdered (peel the cardamom and grind the seeds to a fine powder either with a mortar & pestle or spice grinder)
1 inch stick of cinnamon
2 tejpatta/Indian bay leaf
6 cloves, powdered
3/4 tablespoon saunf/fennel seeds, powdered – divided
1/2 tablespoon sooth/dried ginger powder
a few grinds of fresh black peppercorn
1/2 teaspoon hing/asafoetida powder (a generous pinch if using pure hing)
3 tablespoon Kashmiri red chilli powder or 10 whole red Kashmiri Chilis ground to a paste
4-5  tablespoon pure mustard oil + 1 tablespoon mustard oil
1 teaspoon Garam Masala (homemade or store bought)
fresh cilantro/coriander or fresh mint

Method:

Wash the meat and pat dry. Drizzle the lemon juice, and some salt and toss and allow it sit for about an hour. Add the 2 tablespoon yogurt and 1 tablespoon mustard oil to the meat and marinate it for at least 3 hours. Overnight works better.
If you are not using Greek yogurt, drain  the rest of the yogurt until thick and creamy. Whisk yogurt with red chili powder, half the amount of the green cardamom powder and half amount of the black cardamom powder , all of the ginger powder, half the amount of the fennel seed powder. Set aside.
Heat the mustard oil, or any other oil you are using. Traditionally mustard oil is used and it gives an extra edge to the flavor of the dish, but if you are not used to and do not like it, then just use any cooking oil.
Add the hing/asafoetida to the hot oil. Add the cinnamon, tejpatta/Indian Bay Leaf and the fresh grind of black peppercorn  and saute until aromatic, only a few seconds. When the spices sizzle add the meat to the pan and cook at medium heat, while tossing them occasionally until they start to brown. This will take anywhere between 10-20 minutes.
Now add the powdered clove, rest of the cardamom,  and the rest of the fennel powder . Toss well for the spice mix to coat the meat and cook on low for another 10-15 minutes while scraping the bottom of the pan.
Remove pan from heat. Add a few splashes of water to the oil to cool down the content of the pan.
Wait for a minute and then add the whisked and spiced yogurt a little at a time to the pan and keep stirring it. Keep doing this until you have added the entire yogurt. Put the pan back on the stove in very low heat. Add 1.5 – 2 cups of water ( more if you want more sauce), give it a good stir and tightly cover the pan. Cook until the meat is cooked through and is tender and the oil has separated on the sides. This might take even 2 hours depending on the kind of meat you are using.
Uncover, stir in the Garam Masala. Add and adjust salt. Gently stir everything in and cover it back again until ready to serve.
Add the fresh cilantro or fresh mint if you want just before serving. It is best served over hot steamed white rice.
Serve over hot steamed rice or with flat breads. Enjoy!