CURRY NIGHT: JUST ROGAN JOSHING

Not much to say really.

After a tortuous day at work, all that would get me back down to some semblance of normalcy was to stand in the kitchen, sip on a glass of wine and spend a few hours cooking food from the sub continent.

Tonight, two very simple but entirely delicious ( if I do say so myself ) dishes

SAAK BRINJAL ( aubergine and spinach)

INGREDIENTS
1 Large aubergine ( eggplant ) cubed.
1 large bag of baby spinach
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 fresh red chilli chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp salt.

METHOD
heat a little oil in a pan and add the onion, garlic and chilli and cook until soft and browned.

Add the dry spices and 2 tblsp of water and cook for two minutes.

Add the aubergine and stir well into the spices.

Cover and cook for twenty minutes stirring every few minutes until almost mushy

Add the spinach and allow to wilt into the mixture.

Cook for a further five minutes and take off the heat.

like many Bengali dishes, this is best eaten closer to room temp than piping hot.


ROGAN JOSH ( a classic Lamb dish - Recipe taken from Camelia Panjabi's book)

I was very lucky today as my butcher had the most sensational new season lamb. I used neck fillets and chump chops, but any decent lamb will do

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs of cubed lamb
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped

2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp paprika
( alternatively use kasmiri chilli powder if you can get it to get the bright red colour )
Mix the above with a little water into a paste

1 tsp corriander powder
1 tsp ginger powder
1 tsp fennel powder
4 cloves
2 bayleaves
1 cinnamon stick

1 cup whole milk yoghurt

1 1/2 pint of water

METHOD
Heat the oil in the pan and sweat the onions and garlic until brown.

Add the cloves, bayleaves and cinnamon stick and cook for one minute

Add the dry spices, the chilli paste and two tblsp of water and cook for two minutes.

Add the cubed meat and stir into the spices and cook for five minutes.

take off the heat and add the yoghurt. Stir well and return to the heat and cook for five minutes

Add the water and then bring to the boil

Simmer until the meat is tender and the sauce is reduced to a thick gravy.

Serve with Chapati.


Give them a try and I hope you enjoy. I certainly did