Lamb Rogan Josh (Dairy Free)

As-Salaamu Alaykum,

I and many of you enjoy takeaway curry! Go on, admit it.
We could happily eat them more often but they often strain the weekly/monthly budget and most of the time have too much salt, fat and food dyes.

This is an healthier option for those days you do feel like cooking.

Swapping Ghee for Olive Oil and using potatoes instead of yoghurt as the natural thickener, you don't miss anything from your takeaway rogan josh, well probably the heat from chilli...BUT you do know the traditional Rogan Josh isn't supposed to blow your socks off but rather it's aromatic and mild, at least today it is.

I saw the original recipe in Hamyln All Colour Cookbook: 200 Curries by Sunil Vijayakar and just had to give it a try but I didn't have all the ingredients to hand (typical) and only wanted to make 2 servings rather than 4 as my small kids don't like curry just yet.

I halved the quantities in the original recipe, Swapped boneless lamb for boned, Vegetable Oil for Olive Oil, Lamb Stock for Chicken Stock Cube(you could just use water if your using boned lamb or vegetable stock) and 1 cinnamon stick for 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (cassia) and everything worked out just fine! in fact, beyond fine it was really a triumph Alhamdulillah.

The meat literally falls off the bone from the slow cooking then rapid boiling at the end so feel free to leave the bones in or if you prefer the easier route use chunks of boneless lamb.

Please note I didn't have to add any additional salt and pepper as the curry paste and stock cube contained enough for my palate but do taste towards the end of cooking and adjust as necessary.

Oh and if you like it hot, add in some diced chilli, seeds and all at the stage when you add the garlic and ginger to the pan.

Healthier Lamb Rogan Josh

adapted from hamlyn all colour cookbook 200 curries by sunjil vijayakar
Serves: 2

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: about 2 hours

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Olive Oil 

approx 450 grams halal boned lamb or 300 grams boneless lamb, cut into large chunks 

1 large onion, 1/2 finely diced, 1/2 thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh root ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (cassia)

3 green cardamom pods, seeds removed and ground with a pestle and mortar 

2 tablespoons medium curry paste (i used pataks rogan josh)

150 grams fresh tomatoes, grated 

1 1/2 tablespoons tomato purée (double concentrate)

1 teaspoon sugar

1/3 chicken or vegetable stock cube dissolved in 400 ml water, freshly boiled from kettle

3 average potatoes kept whole or 2 medium potatoes, cut into chunks

salt and pepper 

To garnish - roughly chopped fresh coriander, 

Method

1. Heat half the oil in chosen cooking pot and cook the lamb until browned on each side, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.


2. Add remaining oil then add onion. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and lightly browned.


3. Add the garlic, ginger, cinnamon and cardamom and a splash of water, Stir-fry for a minute and then add curry paste, tomato purée and lamb. Stir-fry again for 2 minutes and then stir in the tomatoes, sugar, water/stock.


4. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour 15 minutes, add in potatoes and continue cooking until the lamb is tender and the potatoes are cooked, (it's OK if they fall apart) towards the end of cooking remove the lid and rapidly boil until the curry is to desired consistency. Remove from heat and serve garnished with chopped fresh coriander.