Recipes from professional Chef Tallyrand:

ROGAN JOSH with Gujarati Sem

As you read this I will be away on a weeks break. After many, many visits home to the UK over the years, (I left the UK in 1977) one of my sisters has finally decided it was high time she paid me a visit instead and is winging her way down from Plymouth, via Singapore, with her son for her first ever visit to New Zealand for three weeks. So I am off for a week to spend some time with them and show them the wonders that are New Zealand.

I know you are all undergoing a ‘heat wave’ in the UK, but remembering the internet is global and to answer and tie together numerous email requests on various subjects I thought I would go Indian this week . . . who knows it just might be an ‘Indian Summer’ you are having!

Peter H of Norwich, Norfolk, UK prompted this week’s column as he was looking for info on mutton, its cooking properties, recipes for, etc. Mutton is not as readily available as it once was, with lamb having ‘succeeded it’. But if you are into fuller more intense flavours, then mutton is the way to go. For information and cooking tips of lamb, hogget and mutton visit www.nzbeeflamb.co.nz/mark.html

I will make up and counter all of this, by tips and recipes on making ice cream in my next week’s column (which will go great with last weeks poached pear dish) and going BBQ the following week, with a couple of my own favourite BBQ recipes (I have just bought an awesome wood burning BBQ) . . . so stay tuned!

Rogan Josh

But this week it is a traditional Indian dish that utilises the strong, more intense flavour of hogget and mutton (but lamb could be used). I prefer to use the leg meat, but you could use other cuts also: diced shoulder etc. For another great recipe for mutton; mutton ham click here

Traditionally the fat that renders from the meat while cooking is served still floating and is mopped up with Indian breads during eating. (If you do not want the fat served, click here to find out tips on ways of removing it)

This recipe uses no liquid; stock, water etc, but cooks everything in their own juices, giving a wonderful aromatic dish.

Ingredients for Rogan Josh

diced leg of hogget/mutton	1	kg
ground coriander	3	tsp
onions	2	pc
garlic cloves	5	pc
grated ginger	2	tbs
garam masala	3	tsp
paprika	3	tsp
cayenne	1	tsp
turmeric	1	tsp
ground nutmeg	1/2	tsp
ground mace	1/2	tsp
tomato concassé	400	ml
yoghurt	200	ml

How to cook Rogan Josh

1.	Mix the coriander with lamb (2-3 cm dice) and allow to marinade until required
2.	Sweat (cook slowly over a low heat without colour) the chopped onions on a real low heat for 30 minutes
3.	Add the crushed garlic and ginger and sweat for further 30 minutes
4.	Add the paprika, cayenne, garam masala, turmeric, nutmeg and mace and sweat for a further 30 minutes
5.	Seal the lamb in hot oil and add to onion and spice mix
6.	Deglaze the pan (add a little water or stock to remove the sediment) and add to lamb mix
7.	Add the tomato concassé (chopped tomatoes) and simmer gently for 90 minutes or until tender
8.	Just prior to serving stir in the yoghurt (but do not allow to re-boil as it will curdle)
9.	Serve with plain boiled rice, a selection of Indian breads: poori, naan or chapaatis and some of these delicious Gujerati style green beans

Gujarati sem (Gujarati style green beans)

Ingredients Gujarati sem

green beans	200	gm
black mustard seeds	1	tsp
red chilli	1/4	pc
salt		sq
pepper		sq
sugar		sq

How to cook Gujarati sem

1.	Top and tail the beans
2.	Plunge into boiling water for three minutes, (called blanching) drain and run under the cold water tap to stop the cooking process (called refreshing)
3.	Heat a little ghee (clarified butter) in a sauté pan
4.	Add the mustard seeds, as soon as they start to pop add the finely chopped chilli and cook for 1 minute
5.	Add the beans and sauté until beans are reheated, add seasoning to taste and serve immediately

Chef's Tip

For tips on using Indian spices see my FAQ section (coming soon)

Enjoy and bon appetit . . . . .

Published 15 July 2001