[CH] Rajastan Recipe for Fred
Shantihhh@aol.com
Wed, 10 Oct 2001 14:18:32 EDT
Fred,
This area is almost all Hindu and beef isn't served! In most areas beef and
pork aren't used due to religious followings of Muslim and Hindu. In many
Hindu sects they are vegetarian, and in some as Jains they don't even eat
garlic or onions or anything grown under ground. In the South in Kerela
where there are many Christians you will find a little beef and pork, but not
much.
Chicken, goat, and seafood is the norm. With all that said you can use beef
in most goat recipes. Also, when Indian recipes call for "lamb" it is most
likely goat as that is mainly what is there. I am thinking what you had
could be a version of Roghan Josh as it is very popular in Rajastan.
Mary-Anne
You can also "cheat" and prepare a nice dish using Patak or Raja's brand
jarred Rogan Josh paste. You will only need to adjust flavors a bit to you
taste, but they both make excellent tasting dishes. I also love their
Vindaloo Paste. Penzey's also makes a nice one, which I just picked up at
there store in Naperville, IL. The Balti powder spices smells quite nice as
well.
Roghan Josh (Lamb curry with Yoghurt) Serves 6
Taken from Charmain Solomon's "The Complete Asian Cookbook". I have
doubled the quantities for most of the spices because if you use the
standard packet or bottled spices they loose their potency very quickly.
So if you can obtain fresh spices, its up to you.
750 gms (1 1/2 lb) lean lamb
3 dried red chilies, seeded
1/2 cup hot water
6-8 cloves garlic
1 tabs chopped fresh ginger
2 tabs desiccated coconut, toasted
2 tabs blanched almonds
2 heaped tabs ground coriander
2 heaped tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. poppy seeds
1 tsp. ground fennel
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground mace
1 tsp. ground black pepper
4 tabs ghee or oil
1 onion chopped finely
4-6 cardamom pods, bruised
1 tsp. tumeric
1 cup of yoghurt, at least, add more if you like
2 ripe tomatoes, (peeled) and chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
2 tsp. Garam masala
2 tabs freshly chopped coriander leaves
Cut lamb into large cubes. Soak chilies in the hot water for 5
mins. Put garlic, ginger, coconut, almonds and chilies together with 2 tabs
of
the soaking water into a blender container. Put ground coriander, cummin,
poppy seeds and fennel in a small pan and shake over low heat for a
few minutes until spices darken slightly in colour and give off an
aromatic smell. Add to the ingredients in blender and blend for a few
seconds
until smooth. Remove from blender container and add the ground cardamom,
cloves, mace and pepper. Set aside.
Heat ghee in a large heavy saucepan and fry the chopped onion,
stirring until the onion is golden brown. Add bruised cardamoms,
turmeric and the blended spice mixture and fry, stirring until well cooked
and the ghee
starts to separate from the spices. Add the yoghurt, a spoonful at a
time and stir it in. Add tomatoes, salt, stir and fry for a further 5
minutes,
then add the cubed lamb and cook over high heat, stirring and turning
meat so that each piece is coated with the spice. Turn heat very low, cover
and cook for 1 hour or longer. Lamb should be very tender and liquid
almost absorbed. Stir occasionally to ensure that spices don't stick to
base
of pan. Sprinkle with garam masala, replace lid and cook 5 mins longer.
Serve sprinkled with coriander leaves and accompanied by plain
steamed Basmati rice or nan.
_________________________
To continue this thread a bit more, I asked an Indian friend where the
hottest Indian food was. He thought probably over all the food in Tamil
Nadu (Madras) was hottest, but said the hottest food he ever found
anywhere was in Rahjastan in the NW part of the country (SW of Delhi).
Said they had a dish there made from goat meat, yogurt and red chiles
that he just couldn't handle. Had so much chile in it that it was
reddish in color. Anyone know what this is? Got a recipe? Preferably
with beef instead of goat.
Fred the habanernut