Alkanet Root (Ratan Jot) 20g
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Natural colouring for classic Roghan Gosht, the Moghul lamb dish - Shah Jehan's favourite! And some other dishes such as Kashmiri Mirchwangan (red) Korma and ancient Tandoori recipes. This packet provides enough root for an average 6 recipes (below).
In Stock - £2.50 plus £1.00 postage & packaging
Alkanet Root
Alkanet Root is a wild, deep-rooting plant, with yellow flowers, related to borage. Its root stem is a remarkable purple-beetroot red in colour and once dried, it forms a wafter-thin bark. In India, it is used as a deep red dye to colour make-up, pharmaceuticals, hair-dye, clothing and artifacts. Though it has no flavour, it has a further use in Kashmir, as a food colouring. It is important in achieveing a deep reddy-brown colour in certain dishes such as Roghan Gosht.
To Use
Fry about 3g in 2-3 tablespoons of warm oil, (best for flavour is Butter Ghee), which at once becomes coloured deep red. Strain off and keep the ghee and discard the root flakes and use the ghee in your recipe.
Using Alkanet root is authentic and fun. Try the following recipe from Pat Chapman's Indian Restaurant Cookbook
Rhogan Josh Gosht - Lamb in Red Gravy
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
675g (11/2lb) lamb neck, cut into cubes
115ml (4 floz) yoghurt
225g (1/2lb) onion, roughly chopped
5cm (2 inch) fresh ginger, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
400g (14 oz) tinned tomatoes
about 8 dessertspoons ghee
1 tablespoon Alkanet Root (Ratan Jot)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
Spices 1:
3 green cardamoms
3 cloves
3 small pieces cassia bark
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander, ground
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
Spices 2:
1 dessertspoon garam masala
2 teaspoons paprika
Method:
1. Mix the lamb and yoghurt and Spices 1. Let stand for 6 hours minimum, or overnight.
2. Put the onion, ginger, garlic and tomato into blender and purée.
3. Melt the ghee in a pan, add the Alkanet Root (Ratan Jot). After a few moments, the oil will turn red. Strain, reserving the red oil, returning to the pan, and discarding the alkanet root. Add the onion purée to the red oil. Put the lamb mixture into a separate pan (without ghee). Cook both for about 20-30 minutes. Salt to taste and stir the meat occasionally to prevent sticking.
4. Combine the two mixtures and cook for a further half house or so, until the meat is quite tender.
5. Add Spices 2, and fresh coriander. Mix well and cook for a further 5 minutes, then serve.
Note:
If at any time the curry gets too dry, add a little water. Alternatively, after both the meat and purée have been fried, they can be put in a casserole dish in the oven preheated to 375˙F / 190˙C / Gas 5 and baked for 45 minutes. Add Spices 2 and cook for a further 10-25 minutes. Add fresh coriander and serve.
