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Spice makes it nice

Ginger enlivens many popular Indian dishes
From the chef | Search restaurants | Archives

April 25th, 2007 issue

Jan Přerovský/THE PRAGUE POST
Traditional rogan josh is a medley of color, texture and — most of all — flavor.
By Narinder Singh

Ginger gets around.

A sharp, almost fiery temperament makes it a natural for strong sauces. It works well as a rub for meat dishes, but also winds up in tea, soft drinks, cookies and candy.
The gnarled root first appeared in Asian recipes. During the Dark Ages, it merged with Middle Eastern favorites then quickly found its way into Europe through the fabled spice trade. Ginger is common in North America and the Caribbean as well.
It’s almost unthinkable to create Indian dishes without the pungent spice. It blends well with other earthy spices — cumin, coriander, turmeric — and provides a counterbalance to bitter and sweet tastes.
When Culinaria’s chef for Indian cuisine, Narinder Singh, first visited Prague back in 1992, he couldn’t locate fresh ginger. Even finding a container of the powdered version proved difficult. But, as he points out, “People everywhere have a passion for this taste once they encounter it.” As a result, ginger, as well as other spices essential to Indian favorites, made their way onto local shelves.
Chef Singh says ginger, in its various forms, allows you to play with the strength and complexity of flavors. Fresh root in general tends to be pungent, sometimes hot. Cooking softens the character and brings out ginger’s sweeter side. Fresh whole root also provides more pronounced flavors (although younger plants tend to be milder).
Ginger comes in many other forms: pickled, preserved, crystallized in sugar, ground into powders or as dried roots. If you’re using the latter, make certain to “bruise” the root with a mallet to open up the fibers. Keep in mind, too, that pickled ginger draws an increased potency from vinegar.
“In India,” Singh notes, “we normally use fresh ginger, although in a few special cases, the recipe calls for dry ginger because of its softer flavor.”
One recipe calling for powdered ginger is rogan josh, a dish popular around the world. This is chef Singh’s version.
Narinder Singh is chef of Indian cuisine at Culinaria, Skořepka 9, Prague 1–Old Town. Tel. 775 314 955
Rogan Josh
Ingredients Preparation
250 grams (8.8 ounces) lamb, cubed
250 grams onion, chopped
6 or 7 cloves garlic
1-inch (2.5-centimeter) piece of fresh ginger
10–20 grams powdered ginger
5 tomatoes, chopped
4–5 tablespoons tomato paste
1 green chili, finely chopped
10 grams turmeric
Spices: cumin, coriander seed,
coriander, cloves, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking oil 		Heat pan over low heat and cover surface with oil.
When oil is hot, add a pinch each of cumin and coriander seed, 10 black peppercorns, three or four cloves and one small stick of cinnamon.
Allow spices to brown.
Add chopped onion and stir until starting to soften, about five minutes.
Pound ginger and garlic into a paste and add to pan.
Allow to heat for five minutes, still over low heat.
Add meat, tomato and dry ginger.
Stir to distribute then allow to cook for 10 minutes.
Add turmeric, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon coriander seed, salt and pepper to taste.
Stir to distribute, then add green chili and stir once more.
Allow to cook at least five minutes.
When oil separates, check the meat. If meat is not done, cook for a few more minutes.
Add 4–5 tablespoons tomato paste and finely chopped coriander.
Cover pan and turn heat down to minimum.
Cook for two or three minutes.
Serve.


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