Meat Roganjosh: Rogan josh is a dish made of braised lamb or mutton in a gravy flavoured with garlic, ginger, and aromatic spices. This recipe calls for lamb shanks, which give it a good smokey flavour, and Kashmiri red chilies, which give it a deep red colour.
Lamb shanks are a firm favourite in most houses, albeit they must be slow cooked, which necessitates some forward planning. That doesn't mean they have to put in a lot of effort.
Heat vegetable oil in a big, deep cooking pan over high heat, then add bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon for flavour. Cook until the sliced onions are brown.
Cook for a few minutes more after adding the ginger-garlic paste. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes after adding the salt and powdered spices (excluding the garam masala).
Cook on low heat with the diced tomatoes and coriander roots. In a separate pan, sear the lamb shanks on each side on high heat to give them a good texture and, more importantly, to seal in the flavour and fluid inside.
Place the seared lamb shanks in the sauce and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done.
Add garam masala powder and cover the pan with a lid, but keep an eye on it at regular intervals.
When the lamb shanks are done, take them from the sauce and set aside. Pour the sauce back over the lamb shanks after passing it through a fine sieve.
Garnish with fresh coriander and ginger and serve hot.