A good Christmas dinner is something you can spend the other 364 days of the year dreaming about. However, from battling crowds at the grocery stores to organizing a menu that includes some of the family favorite recipes, there’s plenty of stress that comes with preparing that ultimate Christmas meal. Honestly, if I were to cook a Christmas dinner, I’d be waking up in the middle of the night worried that meat is too dry, the gravy is bland, potatoes won’t crisp up, the dessert won’t set in time! Luckily in my case, everything from the meal planning stress to cooking is left to my mom, Chandrakanta Dhar – Chef Extraordinaire! Special occasions call for extraordinary food but when mom mentioned that in this year’s yuletide spread the magnum opus is Mutton Rogan Josh, I jumped with joy (just like a child would with the mention of candy canes and glowing silver lanes), – with that warm fuzzy feeling of traditions, flavors and memories coming together to weave magic into yet another exotic holiday dinner!
Kashmiri cuisine is more than just food – it’s a celebration of life. Since I grew up outside Kashmir in the Indian plains, what made me identify as being a Kashmiri (and how others identified us), besides the language that we spoke to each other, was the food that we ate. My mother, a fabulous and innovative cook has been preparing Kashmiri specialties for us on a daily basis, filling my school and work lunch boxes with yummy delicacies that my classmates and colleagues would wolf down in minutes. Her repertoire is pretty diverse with Yakhni (lamb in yoghurt curry), Dum Aaloo (whole spicy potatoes), Tsok Wangun (aubergine in tamarind sauce), Lyadur Tschaman (Yellow Paneer), Halwa (dense sweetmeat) but if there’s a universal favorite then her Mutton Rogan Josh is a clear winner.
While Rogan Josh hails from the Kashmir valley, but this dish was first introduced by the Mughals from Persia. The word ‘Rogan’ literally means oil or clarified butter in Persian or ‘Red’ in Hindi, while ‘Josh’ means boil in Persian and in Hindi refers to passion- fiery or hot – so this dish is all about cooking in an oil-based sauce. There are also numerous versions of this dish. Some with or without garlic and onion where asafoetida (a plant resin of sorts) is used to imitate the flavor base of onion & garlic. The addition of yogurt is also debated as an optional part of this gravy, but is featured in most recipes of the dish. Some versions also use tomatoes to create more volume, although this really alters the flavor profile of the original dish. This dish gets its fiery red color (blending beautifully with the Christmas theme) from powdered Kashmiri chili peppers, but some use natural colouring agents like Mawal or red cockscomb flower or rattan jot (a kind of wooden peel – botanical name is alkanet)
Mom’s Kashmiri Pandit version (the simplest but the tastiest) involves succulent pieces of lamb braised in gravy flavored with aromatic spices like fennel, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon & ginger. Sometimes I wonder how she needs no fancy equipment, and cooks with basic pantry ingredients, to dish out this masterpiece that’s incredibly flavorful and tender with the meat quite literally falling off the bone!
Check out the video for the step-by-step recipe. But if you are planning to make it, ensure you pour all your love into the dish because that’s the secret ingredient that makes her Rogan Josh incomparable! Just don’t tell her I gave out the secret!
The best thing about a crowning main course like this is that you do not require other sides. Simply serve it with Naan or Rice or even Bread (may be a baguette to dunk in). And then head straight for the dessert. Wondering what Mom made for dessert? Rice Pudding that you’ll be licking clean off your bowl. Similar to the famous traditional Danish Christmas dessert Risalamande (comes from the French word Riz à l’amande, which directly translated means rice with almonds) Mom’s rice pudding is also made with rice and almonds – the difference being she uses saffron and milk while the danish version is made with vanilla, milk and whipped cream. This creamy, melt in your mouth showstopper not only makes your holiday merry and bright (specially with that beautiful golden hue from the saffron) but can easily give the popular Trifles and Yule logs a run for their money!
Now after that festive finish to a filling and soul satisfying Christmas dinner, can I say my Christmas meal was better than yours? I believe it was, and trust me if only you could have a bite of all this deliciousness (I hope you can someday) the only thing you’ll say (or sing) every Christmas thereafter as an ode to Mom’s magical holiday meal is “All I want for Christmas is You!” … Happy Holidays!
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Sanjay has been navigating the stormy waters of the Indian media and entertainment industry for nearly 3 decades, and has worked with some of the leading Indian and international media brands in this time. His travels to various international destinations for work and leisure has led him to appreciate the connection between food and travel, and he likes to share his experiences through his articles on Travel and Food Network. He lives in Mumbai, but considers himself a global foodie-citizen.
