Rogan josh facts for kids
Rogan josh
|
|
| Type | Curry |
|---|---|
| Course | Main |
| Place of origin | Kashmir |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Lamb or goat, alkanet root |
Rogan josh (pronounced [/ˌrəʊɡən ˈdʒəʊʃ/]) is a super tasty meat dish from a place called Kashmir. It's a type of curry that smells amazing and has a beautiful red color.
This dish is usually made with red meat, like lamb or goat. Its special color and flavor come from ingredients like the alkanet flower or root, and special Kashmiri chilies. Rogan josh is one of the most famous dishes from Kashmiri cuisine.
Contents
What Does "Rogan Josh" Mean?
The name "Rogan josh" has a few possible meanings. One idea is that Roughan means "clarified butter" or "oil" in the Persian and Hindi languages. The word juš (or josh) means to "stew" or "boil." So, "Rogan josh" could mean "stewed in ghee."
Another idea is that the name comes from the Urdu word roghan (Hindi: रोगन, Urdu: روغن), which means "brown" or "red." In the Kashmiri language, roghan also means "red." The second part of the name might come from gošt, meaning "meat," or a word meaning "juice." This could mean "red meat" or "red juice." It's a bit of a mystery which meaning is the original one!
Where Did Rogan Josh Come From?
Rogan josh is a very important dish in Kashmiri cuisine. It's often a main part of a big Kashmiri meal called the wazwan.
This dish was first brought to Kashmir by the Mughals. The Mughals were rulers whose cooking style was influenced by Persian food. They often visited Kashmir because it was much cooler there than the hot plains of central India.
How is Rogan Josh Made?
Rogan josh is made with pieces of lamb or mutton that are slowly cooked in a flavorful sauce. The sauce has garlic, ginger, and amazing spices like cloves, bay leaves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Some recipes also add onions or yogurt.
The dish gets its famous deep red color from dried flowers or roots of a plant called Alkanna tinctoria (also known as ratan jot). It also gets color from lots of dried Kashmiri chilies. These chilies are not super spicy; they are milder than other Indian chilies. This means the dish focuses more on a wonderful smell and taste than on being very hot. Sometimes, saffron is also added to traditional recipes.
Different Ways to Prepare It
There are some differences in how Rogan josh is made by different groups in Kashmir. For example, some people use a local type of onion called praan and petals from the maval flower for color. Other people might not use these ingredients, but they might add yogurt for a richer taste.
Changes and Adaptations
Originally, Rogan josh was made by soaking whole dried chilies in water and then grinding them into a paste. Today, people often use chili powder or a mix of paprika and cayenne pepper for a quicker way to get the color and flavor.
Many versions of Rogan josh made in Western countries add tomatoes to the sauce. This is very common in ready-made sauces you can buy. However, some people say that tomatoes are not part of the traditional dish. Others say that tomatoes are used in a version of the dish from the Punjab region, but not in the original Kashmiri one.
Rogan Josh with Other Meats
In India, Rogan josh is often made with goat meat instead of mutton. This is because goat meat is easier to find there. You can also find a version made with beef, especially brisket.
See also
In Spanish: Rogan josh para niños
