Roghan Ghosht
Prep 30 min Total 1 hr 15 min
Roghan ghosht is a lamb dish from Kashmir. The name means something along the lines of “red meat in fat” — the oil and spices separate from the sauce and settle as a reddish layer on top, and that is how you know the dish is done. In Kashmir it is traditionally cooked for celebrations and special occasions.
Diced lamb simmers in yoghurt with a paste of ginger, garlic, chilli, fresh coriander and mint. Whole spices — cardamom, cloves, cinnamon — draw their flavour into the oil first. Flaked almonds go in at the end to give body and sweetness to the sauce.
Despite the chillies, it is mild in heat, and the flavour is aromatic rather than fiery. Serve with rice or naan.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 4 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 750 g boneless leg of lamb, diced
- 2 dl plain yoghurt
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 piece fresh ginger, 2.5 cm
- 2 fresh green chillies
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp mint leaves, freshly chopped
- 1 tsp coriander leaves, freshly chopped
- 6 cardamom pods
- 6 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick, 2.5 cm
- 125 g flaked almonds
- salt
Directions
Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry half the chopped onion until golden.
Add the diced lamb and 1.75 dl of the yoghurt. Stir well, put the lid on and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile make the spice paste: put the garlic, ginger, chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mint, coriander and 2–3 tbsp of yoghurt in a blender. Blend to a smooth paste.
Heat the remaining oil in a large pot. Add the cardamom pods, cloves and cinnamon stick and fry for 1 minute, stirring — they should be fragrant, not burnt.
Add the remaining onion and the spice paste. Fry for 5 minutes, stirring, so the paste dries out a little and the oil begins to separate.
Transfer the lamb and yoghurt mixture from the pan into the pot. Season with salt and stir well. Reduce the heat to a bare simmer. Cover and leave to cook for 30 minutes.
Add the flaked almonds and cook uncovered for a further 15 minutes until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick. Adjust the seasoning.
Serve with rice or naan.
Notes
Active time about 30 minutes, total cooking time about 1 hour 15 minutes.
The meat will be more tender if it has longer over low heat. If the sauce is still thin after 15 minutes uncovered, reduce it for a few minutes more.
The whole spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick) stay in the dish at serving — eat around them, or pick them out before plating.
The dish improves the next day.
See Also
Cucumber Raita (Kheera Raita)
Mint Raita
Green Chutney
Tamarind Chutney
