Rogan josh

Rogan josh (English: /ˌroʊɡən ˈdʒɑʃ/);<ref name=oed>Rogan Josh, Oxford English Dictionary</ref> {{#invoke:IPA|main}}), also spelled roghan josh or roghan ghosht, is an aromatic curried meat dish originating from Kashmir, it is one of the main dishes in the wazwan, the traditional multi-course Kashmiri feast.<ref name=magon152>Template:Cite book</ref>

It is made with red meat—traditionally lamb, mutton, or goat—and coloured and flavoured primarily by alkanet flower (or root) and Kashmiri chilies. It is one of the signature recipes of Kashmiri cuisine.

Etymology

A number of origins of the name have been suggested. Rawghan means "clarified butter"<ref name="Collingham2006">Template:Cite book</ref> or "oil" in Persian, while jōš means to "stew" or "braise"<ref name=od297>From Bonbon to Cha-cha: The Oxford Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases, Oxford:OUP, 2009, p.297</ref> and ultimately derives from the verb jōšīdan meaning "to boil". Rogan josh, by this definition, may mean "stewed in ghee".<ref name=od297/> An alternative etymology is that the name derives from either the word roghan (Template:Langx, Template:Langx), "brown" or "red",<ref name=magon152 /> or the Koshur roghan, "red",<ref name=chapman124>Template:Cite book</ref> along with the word either for "meat", (gošt) often romanized as "rogan ghosht" or "gosht",<ref name=ayto/> or a word meaning "juice", giving possible meanings of "red meat" or "red juice".<ref name=wahhab>Template:Cite book</ref> The exact etymology remains uncertain as both "rogan josh" and "rogan ghosht" are used to refer to the dish and it is unclear which of the names is the original.<ref name=ayto>Ayto, The Diner's Dictionary: Word Origins of Food and Drink, Oxford: OUP, 2012, p.309</ref>

Origin

Rogan josh is a staple of Kashmiri cuisine and is one of the main dishes of the Kashmiri multi-course meal, the wazwan. The dish was originally brought to Kashmir by the Mughals, whose cuisine was, in turn, influenced by Persian cuisine. The unrelenting summer heat of the central Indian plains took the Mughals frequently to the country's northern region, Kashmir, which has a cooler climate because of its elevation and latitude.<ref name="Collingham2006"/>

Preparation

Rogan josh consists of pieces of lamb or mutton braised with a gravy flavoured with garlic, ginger and aromatic spices (clove, bay leaves, cardamom, and cinnamon), and in some versions incorporating onions or yoghurt.<ref name=Panjabi1995/> After initial braising, the dish may be finished using the dampokhtak slow-cooking technique.<ref name=singh58>Singh (1973), p.58</ref> Its characteristic deep red colour traditionally comes from dried flowers or root of Alkanna tinctoria (ratan jot)<ref name="wahhab"></ref> and from liberal amounts of dried, deseeded Kashmiri red chilli (lal mirch).

There are different approaches in preparation: Some use praan, a local form of shallot, and petals of maval, the cockscomb flower, for colouring (and for its supposed "cooling" effect);<ref name=Panjabi1995/> others may add yoghurt and asafoetida to give additional body and flavor.<ref name="Panjabi1995">Template:Cite book</ref>

Adaptations

While the traditional preparation uses whole dried chilies that are de-seeded, soaked in water, and ground to a paste, non-traditional shortcuts use either Kashmiri chili powder (available in Indian stores) or a mixture of paprika (predominantly) and cayenne pepper, adjusted to taste. (Madhur Jaffrey's recipe<ref>Recipe Source: Rogan Josh - Madhur Jaffrey</ref> calls for a 4:1 ratio of paprika to cayenne.) An updated version served in Sanjeev Kapoor's restaurants uses white and black cardamom, anise, and bay leaves.<ref name="Kapoor2011">Template:Cite book</ref>

Many western interpretations of the dish add tomatoes to the sauce. This is especially common with ready-made pour-over cooking sauces to the point where the dish may be considered tomato-based. The authenticity of including tomatoes is disputed: some authors state that tomatoes are not part of the traditional dish or of traditional Indian cuisine and should not be included.<ref name=singh>Template:Cite book</ref> However, other authors have specifically referred to rogan josh as a dish based around meat and tomatoes,<ref name=holkar225>Template:Cite book</ref> while others have identified tomatoes with a Punjabi version of the dish as opposed to a Kashmiri one.<ref name=bhangal101>Template:Cite book</ref>

With other meats

There is a variety with beef as well, brisket being preferred.<ref name="Owen1994">Template:Cite book</ref>

See also

• Kashmiri cuisine
• Dum aloo