Lamb Rogan Josh with Whole Spices

Curry

• 2 medium Yellow onion
• 25 g Ginger root, firm and fresh
• 5 cloves Garlic
• 2 tbsp Ghee
• 1 piece Cinnamon sticks
• 6 pieces Green cardamom pods
• 6 pieces Whole cloves
• 800 g Lamb shoulder, boneless
• 2 tsp Ground Kashmiri chili
• 2 tsp Sweet paprika
• 500 ml Tomato passata
• 200 g Yogurt, plain
• 300 ml Water
• 2 tsp Fine sea salt

To serve

• 300 g Basmati rice
• 15 g Fresh coriander

1. Finely slice the onion. Peel and grate the ginger, then crush the garlic to a paste with a pinch of the fine sea salt.
2. Heat the ghee in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and cloves and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the onion with the remaining fine sea salt and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the lamb in a single layer. Brown for 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until well coloured on all sides.
5. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the ground Kashmiri chili and sweet paprika for 30 seconds. Add the tomato passata and water, scraping up any browned bits, then bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Cover and simmer on low for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is starting to turn tender. If it looks dry at any point, add a splash of water to keep it saucy.
7. Meanwhile, rinse the basmati rice until the water runs mostly clear. Cook in a saucepan of lightly salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until tender, then drain and cover to keep warm.
8. Stir the yogurt until smooth, then add it to the curry a spoonful at a time over low heat, stirring constantly so it does not split. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes until the lamb is very tender and the gravy looks glossy.
9. Roughly chop the fresh coriander and stir most of it through the curry. Serve with the rice and scatter over the remaining coriander.

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