Chicken Rogan Josh: Authentic Kashmiri Delicacy

I am a big non vegtarian food lover...ìf I havent mentioned it enough times. I just love eating variety of non vegetarian delicacies from different cuisines.  Not to mention that i love eating out as well, passion for food started way back when I first came to Delhi. Back then I was a skinny and dangly girl from Lucknow, who just came to Delhi make it big. I can't really say I had a big dream and wanted moons and stars. But I came here to work hard with absolutely no idea where I wanted my career to head. I just wanted make enough money to sustain myself and not ask my mom for any money for my expenses. It was already hard on her to raise 3 kids as a single mother.

With the new found job came money and not to mention freedom, I could spend my money on myself and no one was stopping me. I wont say I didnt had any slips but I was clever enough to see through it immediately and fixed it even faster.

As I said with the new found freedom of spending money as I wished, I splurged on food. I loved trying new cuisines,  new restaurants. It was a weekend routine for me to go out with friends and hunt a new joint and try the food. If I can say it again, always tried non vegetarian food. I still am a foodie and try new places and still believe in spending money only on non veg food.

 

  I have a particular fondness for Kashmiri Cuisine.  The beauty of any Kashmiri Delicacy not just lies in the taste but also the aroma. It is incredible how they use almost the same spices as any other regions of India, but the technique is what all makes the difference.  Be it Mutton Yakhni or Gostaba or Tabak Maaz...they all are a Symphony of taste, aroma and colors. 

Rogan Josh is originally a Kashmiri Chicken Delicacy however it has been adapted in different forms through out. Different restaurants have there own versions of it. The one you most likely have eaten is a Chicken in and onion tomato gravy with yogurt,  however the original dish dosent use any of these except for the yogurt.  

It is a classic Kashimi Chicken dish cooked with yogurt and spices and doesn't have much and towards a little drier side. I have tried my best to recreat it. Tastsed pretty good to me and was finished off pretty quickly.  Hopefully you will like it as well.

Things you will need:

Chicken- curry cut 8-10 pieces
Yogurt-1 cup
Black Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon stick - 1 1/2 inch long
Cloves - 3-4
Bay leaves - 2
Hing (Asafoetida)- 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Saunf (Fennel seed) Powder- 3 tsp
Sonth (Dry Ginger) Powder- 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the Chicken and marinate it with yogurt,  salt and black cardamon (cracked) and keep aside for 2-3 hours.

In a heavy bottomed pan add the oil or ghee and add the bay leaves, hing, cinnamon and cloves, once it has crackled add the marinated chicken.

On high flame stir it briskly until the yogurt dries and oil surfaces.

Lower the flame and fry the chicken, stirring gently untill it turns rich golden brown in color.

Increase the flame and mix the Chili Powder with few drops of water and add it to the pan and stir briskly for minute.

Add rest of the masala along with salt and add a cup of water to it.

Simmer the the gravy until oil surfaces.

Enjoy with Authentic Kashmiri Rogan Josh with roti or rice.