Lamb Rogan Josh with Home made Naan Bread

The turning of the season has me all nostalgic. Here in South Africa, especially here in Jozi, autumn is in full swing and the hues of orange, brown and yellow is spilling on the side walks from the trees surrendering to the cooler weather.

For some, winter might be a bit depressing. We are instantly drawn to comforting meals and stews, thick knits and woolen blankets. Gas heaters are slowly but surely making their way back to the living rooms from the dusty cupboards where they have resided the last couple of months.

I for one, feel the change. I get all emotional and a little depressed when hubby has to go to work when it’s almost  already pitch dark at six in the morning.

So when it comes to dinnertime, a satisfying Lamb Rogan Josh with Home made Naan Bread will surely kick all the depro feelings to the curb.  I used lamb knuckles, which makes for a perfect curry or stew dish. All the usual spices gets used here and I love adding natural, thick yogurt to the sauce.

Did you know that Rogan Josh is originally a dish from Persian origin? The spices used in this dish are those typically used in Kashmiri cuisine and includes the use of cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, paprika, ginger and garlic.

As I would normally use coconut milk in my curries, this dish requires the use of plain yoghurt, which I am totally in love with these days, and gives it the perfect creamy gravy for my lamb. Also, this homemade naan bread recipe will change your life! I adapted it from one of my favorite blogs Half Baked Harvest – and this has been my go to naan bread recipe for ages.

So, it might seem like loads of work, but when your Rogan Josh sauce is ready to go, the stove top does most of the work. If you are not keen on making your own naan bread, this Lamb Rogan Josh goes pretty well with a bowl of fluffy rice or cauliflower mash if you like your meals low carb. And of course, the star in this story has to be the amazing meat. Stay warm!

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Lamb Rogan Josh with Home made Naan Bread

Slow cooked Lamb knuckles with a delicious curry and yogurt sauce - the spices used in this dish are those typically used in Kashmiri cuisine and includes the use of cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, paprika, ginger and garlic.

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Rating: 4
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Course

Main Dish, sunday lunch

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

3 hours

Servings

servings MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Curry

• 2 tablespoons cardamom pods
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 20 ml olive oil
• 1 kg lamb knuckles
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 8 cloves garlic minced
• 4 bird eye chili finely chopped
• 2 cans chopped and peeled tomatoes
• 1 cup beef/lamb stock
• 6 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1 cinnamon stick

Naan Bread

• 5 gr instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 4 cups flour
• pinch salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• flour for dusting
• melted butter to cook naan bread

Course Main Dish, sunday lunch Prep Time 15 min Cook Time 3 hours Servings servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Curry 2 tablespoons cardamom pods 1 tablespoon coriander seeds 2 teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 20 ml olive oil 1 kg lamb knuckles 3 tablespoons butter 1 onion finely chopped 1 tablespoon grated ginger 8 cloves garlic minced 4 bird eye chili finely chopped 2 cans chopped and peeled tomatoes 1 cup beef/lamb stock 6 tablespoons plain yogurt 1 cinnamon stick Naan Bread 5 gr instant yeast 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 cup hot water 3/4 cup warm milk 1 cup plain yogurt 4 cups flour pinch salt 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda flour for dusting melted butter to cook naan bread

Votes: 1 Rating: 4 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

Curry

1. First off, heat a saucepan and dry roast the cardamom, coriander, paprika, turmeric and cloves.
2. As the spices heats up, it gives off a beautiful aroma. Remove from pan and transfer to a pestle and mortar.
3. Next, heat the olive oil until very hot and brown the lamb knuckles. Remove the meat from the pan.
4. Heat the butter in the same pan, and saute the onion, ginger, garlic and chillies.
5. While that is happening, in the pestle and mortar, grind the spices and add them to the sauteed ingredients.
6. Add the tomato cans, stock and yogurt and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Transfer your rogan josh gravy to a food processor and blend.
8. I like to sieve this blended sauce to get rid of all the hard pieces from the spices and it ensures a silky smooth gravy.
9. Return the sauce to the pan, add the browned meat and cinnamon stick and leave to cook on low heat for 2 – 3 hours, stirring every now and then.

Naan Bread

1. For the naan bread, (while your meat is simmering) combine the instant yeast with sugar and hot water. Leave until frothy.
2. Add the warm milk and yogurt. Mix.
3. Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl (flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda) and then add the frothy yeast mix to the dry ingredients, mixing through and kneading the dough until combined and sticky.
4. You should however be able to form the dough into a ball easily. Cover with cling wrap and leave for about 1 hour.
5. After this time, roll the dough into small balls using flour to dust the surface of your workspace.
6. Flatten or roll the dough into a thin disk, dub with melted butter and transfer to a cast iron skillet/pan on medium heat.
7. Be sure to use a lid while the naan bread cooks, you will see small bubbles showing on the top side of the bread.
8. Dab the other side with butter and turn it over – covering the pan/pot with a lid while cooking. It takes about a minute or two on each side.
9. Serve your Lamb Rogan Josh with yogurt and fresh coriander – and perfectly cooked naan bread for a delicious comforting feast.

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