Curry house in your kitchen

From onion bhajis and saag aloo to this luscious lamb rogan josh – Dan Toombs, aka The Curry Guy, serves up another helping of perfect British-style curries

LAMB ROGAN JOSH

Last week I showed you how to make perfect ‘British’ curries using pre- cooked chicken, and this week I’ll show you how to pre-cook lamb (see page 72). Just like many British versions of Indian curries, our lamb rogan josh is different to those in India. Mutton or lamb rogan josh comes from Kashmir, where meat on the bone is braised in a red sauce coloured by the Kashmiri chillies and roton jot, a natural red food colouring that’s difficult to find in the West. I achieve it with paprika and tomato.

Serves 4 or more as part of a multi-course meal 4tbsp rapeseed oil

2tbsp garlic and ginger paste (see tip across the bottom of the page)

2tbsp paprika

1tsp chilli powder, or more to taste

125ml (4fl oz) tomato purée (use 1 part tomato paste with 3 parts water) or passata 500ml (18fl oz) base curry sauce (see tip across the bottom of pages 74-75), heated 1tbsp ground cumin

1½tbsp mixed powder (see tip across the bottom of pages 74-75)

700g (1lb 8oz) pre-cooked stewed lamb (see page 72), plus 200ml (7fl oz) of its cooking stock

2 tomatoes, quartered

2-3tbsp raw cashew paste (see tip across the bottom of pages 72-73)

3tbsp plain yoghurt, plus extra to garnish 1tsp dried fenugreek leaves

1tsp garam masala

Salt

3tbsp chopped coriander leaves, to garnish Chopped red onion, to garnish

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic and ginger paste and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds, stirring continuously. Add the paprika and chilli powder and fry for about 30 seconds. The mixture should turn a darker red as it cooks. Pour in the tomato purée, which should start to bubble as soon as it hits the pan.

Cook it down by about half then stir in 250ml (9fl oz) of the base curry sauce, the cumin and mixed powder. Allow the sauce to simmer for a couple of minutes, without stirring unless it is catching on the pan.

Some of the sauce will caramelise on the sides of the pan; scrape it off as it adds a nice smoky flavour. Add the pre-cooked lamb and the rest of the base sauce with the stock. Let the sauce come to a boil until it reduces to your preferred consistency, only stirring if it is catching. Add the tomato wedges.

To serve, swirl in the cashew paste then add the yoghurt 1tbsp at a time, stirring continuously. Sprinkle the fenugreek leaves and garam masala over and add salt to taste. Top with a little extra yoghurt and garnish with the coriander leaves and red onion.