Kashmiri Chicken Rogan Josh

5 tablespoons vegetable oil
7 black peppercorns, left whole
3 black cardamom pods, left whole*
5 green cardamom pods, left whole*
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 piece mace
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2-pound chicken breast, cut into pieces
6 garlic cloves, peeled, left whole
1 (3/4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut in half
Water, as needed
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red chile powder
2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
2 tomatoes, blended to a pulp in a food processor
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
Kosher salt
Boiling water, as needed
Handful chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and stems

May be made with 1 (1 1/2-pound) leg of lamb or mutton, bone intact, cut into pieces instead of the chicken for a more traditional dish. Serve over rice if you wish.

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the black peppercorns, black and green cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon, and mace, and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the spices are sizzling and fragrant.

Add the chopped onion, and fry for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring regularly, or until golden brown. Add the lamb pieces, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continually, until the lamb pieces are golden brown all over.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend the garlic cloves, and ginger, with 1 tablespoon of water to a fine paste. Add the garlic and ginger paste to the lamb mixture, stir well to combine, and then reduce the heat, and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in the ground coriander, cumin, red chile powder, fennel seeds, garam masala, tomato pulp, yogurt, and salt, to taste. Cover the pan with a lid, and then reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the sauce has almost completely dried out.

Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of boiling water to the sauce, stir well and simmer for a further 7 to 8 minutes, stirring continually and adding splashes of water as necessary, until the volume of liquid has reduced and the sauce has thickened.

Add enough boiling water to almost cover the lamb, and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the lamb is cooked through.

Stir in the chopped fresh cilantro just before serving.

If you're worried about biting on whole spices, you can leave them out of this dish. Fry the spices first, and then fish them out with a slotted spoon, tie them in a muslin pouch and add it back to the simmering curry. The spice pouch will continue adding flavor. Do try the dish and add extra garam masala powder at the end if you feel it needs it.

Serving Size: 6

Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user FINALLYHEALTHY2.