Topic: Rogan Josh by Razor

[Secret Santa]

Bengali Restaurant Rogan Josh is a 2 stage dish or a combined curry.

Gonna have to call you out on that one Chewy. I doubt you'll find the topping has anything to do with being originated in Bengal, but if you've got proof I'd love to see it. I'm convinced (equally without proof) that this is a BIR concoction and has no more traditional authenticity than CTM does, for example.

[PaulP]

Bengali Restaurant Rogan Josh is a 2 stage dish or a combined curry.

Gonna have to call you out on that one Chewy. I doubt you'll find the topping has anything to do with being originated in Bengal, but if you've got proof I'd love to see it. I'm convinced (equally without proof) that this is a BIR concoction and has no more traditional authenticity than CTM does, for example.

I think there is plenty of evidence that Rogan Josh is a real dish in many different forms across the Indian Subcontinent. In that respect it is nothing like a CTM.

http://www.bongcookbook.com/2010/09/mutton-rogan-josh-any-which-way.html

Paul

[fried]

I tried this recipe last week and it was lovely. A bit of change from my usual style and strangely reminisant of CT's 'Bengali roast chicken recipe' ( I think that's what it's called). There's something very different in the taste using whole spices and fresh tomato, something akin to traditional indian food.

I don't think I've ever had a RJ from a takeaway, I seem to recall ordering one in a restaurant about 20 years ago and it was awful; a bland curry with some tomatoes (raw) chucked on top. I hate raw tomato.

Not different enough for the missus to not include it in my once a week curry night  though

[bamble1976]

I have my own recipe for this as a two part dish but have not had it for a long time so will need to have a play again and report back
Barry

[Secret Santa]

Bengali Restaurant Rogan Josh is a 2 stage dish or a combined curry.

Gonna have to call you out on that one Chewy. I doubt you'll find the topping has anything to do with being originated in Bengal, but if you've got proof I'd love to see it. I'm convinced (equally without proof) that this is a BIR concoction and has no more traditional authenticity than CTM does, for example.

I think there is plenty of evidence that Rogan Josh is a real dish in many different forms across the Indian Subcontinent. In that respect it is nothing like a CTM.

http://www.bongcookbook.com/2010/09/mutton-rogan-josh-any-which-way.html

Paul

I'm not talking about Rogan Josh being authentically Indian because, of course, it is. What I'm questioning is the origin of this two part version, my assertion being that it's a BIR concoction and not a native Bengali dish.

[ELW]

This all seems a bit odd to me, is this your theory or do you have first hand knowledge of this.

 
Here's one right on the doorstep 2009, from a Punjabi chefs notebook http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=3909.msg35390;topicseen#msg35390


From Punjabi restaurant chain in Glasgow

The owner of an Indian restaurant is was in a few months ago told me the chef uses 4 base sauces he named 3 ( RJ, SIGCC, curry base), I think he meant pastes....base/pastes...pastes/bases..same thing more or less

My local (Indian) been open for about 30 years, has coconut in the gravy right across the board. I know this because I asked & they told me. Their base is used in Madras & used in Korma, the Madras is blazing hot with a sweetness & slight sourness, the korma is mild with added  sweetness from the sugar , bhoona/bhuna is also sweet with less chilli, no sourness, sometimes a little thicker(less in the tray), plenty of coriander & a dod of tomato. They taste nothing like each other & nothing like a tikka masala. I could think of another dozen places like this.
Kushi, which I believe is a Bengali restaurant, apart from tikka masala, uses no sweetener in either base or dishes including RJ. As with your madras recipe,  I like both styles. I wouldn't be surprised to find Heinz tomato soup going into some RJ's here & there. I see it in a kitchen shelf but not on the menu

[chewytikka]

Nothing to prove SS
Why I say Bengali BIR (Muslim Run) is because these are the majority and what I've mainly been involved with since I was a kid.

Harlequin Group/ Ashoka Restaurants are not Muslim, that's why there recipes/methods are different Punjabi/Pakistani/Indian whatever.

BIR Rogan Josh is of course a BIR concoction, just like every other classic BIR dish created for the British.

Needless to say, if your local BIR is Bengali/Muslim the Rogan Josh will probably be made as I described.

I used to eat it quite alot and must have seen thousands cooked over the years.

Try the Tarka, it's delicious.
cheers chewy

[Secret Santa]

Try the Tarka, it's delicious.
cheers chewy

Oh I intend to. Thanks for your method by the way. 

[Aussie Mick]

I'll be giving that a go, CT. Thanks for that piece of info.

I've tried Rays RJ and was impressed, but still nothing like the RJ's of old.

C2go version is also a nice curry, but once again, nothing like I rememeber a RJ to be.

Looks like it's tarka time.

[Salvador Dhali]

This is frequently blended & added as a paste in RJ's in Glasgow. "moreish" is right!. A key part of the what people call the Glasgow taste is coconut, both in the base & in pastes. when it all comes together it produces a moreish taste thats quite hard to figure out
ELW

This all seems a bit odd to me, is this your theory or do you have first hand knowledge of this.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Anyway, not to detract from Ray's RJ recipe, but I'm amazed BIR Roghan Josh isn't covered much on CR0

Bengali Restaurant Rogan Josh is a 2 stage dish or a combined curry.

(Circa 1970's) and still the same today here in Geordieland.
First they make a dopiaza with added precooked chunky onions and put it in the serving dish.
Second, they quickly make a stir fry topping of caramelised tomatoes and onion.

Method = Hot Wok, oil or ghee in, touch of G&G, touch of mixed powder and tomato puree dilute
more onion, (thin sliced lengthways), a tomato cut into wedges or Cherry Tomatoes (2012 Style)
1tbs of sugar.
Flash fry this vigorously to caramelise the onion and tomato, add a chefs spoon of base sauce to combine and finish.

Add the topping onto the Dopiaza and you have a Rogan Josh.

The Chef that taught me this dish, used to call it The Dream Topping, probably
because of the moreish flavour of sweet caramelised tomatoes and onion.

Hope you can follow this , Cheers Chewy

p.s. I might do a video of this when I get the time.

Many thanks for this, Chewy - yet another top tip.

Would be great if you could add it to your video library, but I'm going to try it out tonight anyway.