Indian · Kashmir · main

Rogan Josh with Praan and Ratanjot

Rogan Josh with Praan and Ratanjot reads umami 6.4, warm spice 5.9 and richness 5.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian · Kashmir main, about 2 hr 10 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 2.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.0 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 6.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.4 · Warm Spice 5.9 · Richness 5.6 · Floral 4.0 · Allium 3.7 · Salinity 3.7 · Funk & Ferment 2.5 · Sourness 2.4 · Earthy 2.2 · Sweetness 1.9 · Herbaceous 1.4 · Bitterness 1.3 · Nutty 1.2 · Heat 1.0 · Fruity 0.9 · Citrus 0.6

What's in it (19)

• lamb — 1000 g
• mustard oil — 138 g
• cardamom pods — 400 g
• cardamom pods — 200 g
• cloves — 18 g
• cinnamon — 2 g
• black peppercorns — 5 g
• praan paste — 10 g
• garlic — 18 g
• kashmiri red chilli powder — 44 g
• ground fennel — 15 g
• ground ginger — 5 g
• asafoetida — 1 g
• water — 15 g
• plain yogurt — 200 g
• ratanjot — 5 g
• salt — 10 g
• water — 500 g
• garam masala — 3 g

Time & effort: about 2 hr 10 min (2 hr 9 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 203.8 kcal, 10.9 g protein, 11.9 g fat, 17.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

1. Heat the mustard oil in a heavy pot until it smokes and the sharpness burns off, about 3 minutes, then lower the heat and sear the lamb in two batches for 6 minutes a batch, until the pieces are browned and their fat has begun to render.
2. Push the meat aside, add the whole cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns and let them bloom in the hot fat for 40 seconds until they swell and smell resinous.
3. Add the praan paste and crushed garlic and fry 3 minutes. This is the Wazwan register of the dish, the Kashmiri Muslim kitchen, which uses onion, garlic and praan freely. The Kashmiri Pandit version of rogan josh uses none of the three and leans instead on asafoetida and curd, and the difference between the two is the single most useful thing to know about Kashmiri food.
4. Stir in the soaked chilli powder with its water, the fennel powder, dried ginger powder and the dissolved asafoetida and cook 3 minutes on low, stirring, so the chilli releases colour without burning.
5. Take the pot off direct heat for a moment and beat in the yogurt a spoonful at a time, stirring constantly, then return it to low heat and cook 8 minutes until the fat begins to separate.
6. Add the salt and the hot water, cover and braise on the lowest heat for 75 to 90 minutes, until the lamb is falling from the bone and a thin red oil floats on the surface. That red is the roghan the dish is named for.
7. Stir in the ratanjot oil for the deep crimson colour and the garam masala, rest 10 minutes and serve with plain rice.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Rogan Josh — Indian
• Bariis Iskukaris (One-Pot Rice with Goat) — Somali
• Kosha Mangsho (Slow-Bhuna Goat) — Indian · Bengal
• Pilau ya Nyama ya Mbuzi (Swahili Goat Pilau) — Swahili Coast
• Kig ha Farz — French · Brittany

Keep reading: what umami, warm spice, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.