S ome dishes don’t just need time — They demand it.
Not just minutes ticking on a timer, but your full presence. Your willingness to move slowly. To stir without rushing. To wait, while something beautiful unfolds in the background.
Not just minutes ticking on a timer, but your full presence. Your willingness to move slowly. To stir without rushing. To wait, while something beautiful unfolds in the background.
But one rainy Saturday afternoon, everything felt still. The world outside my window had slowed to a hush. And I found myself craving something warm, deep, fragrant — the kind of food that fills a room before it even touches your lips. I didn’t want takeout. I didn’t want quick. I wanted intentional.
The Choice to Cook Slowly
I had a good cut of mutton. A quiet afternoon. And enough curiosity to try. I laid out the spices carefully — cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, chili — as though opening up a set of old letters. There was something ceremonial about it. But I knew this dish wasn’t just about the spice — it was about the base. The foundation. And that meant the oil.
Instead of the usual ghee or refined oil, I reached for Aram Sei’s cold-pressed groundnut oil.
I’d used it before in lighter recipes — its earthy, balanced aroma always stood out. But this
time, I wanted to test its strength. Could it handle hours of low, slow cooking? Would it hold
the depth of flavor Rogan Josh is known for?
The short answer: yes.
The long answer? It changed the entire dish.
Mutton Rogan Josh — A Deep, Fragrant Bowl of Patience
Cooked with Aram Sei Cold-Pressed Groundnut Oil
Serves: 3–4
For the curry:
- Aram Sei cold-pressed groundnut oil: 3 tbsp
- Whole spices:
- Aram Sei cold-Green cardamom: 4 pods pressed groundnut oil: 3 tbsp
- Cloves: 4
- Cinnamon stick: 1 small
- Bay leaf: 1
- Sliced onions (optional): 1 medium
- Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tbsp
- Whole spKashmiri red chili powder: 1½ tspices:
- Ginger powder (dry ginger / sonth): 1 tsp
- Fennel powder: 2 tsp
- Asafoetida (hing): a pinch (dissolved in warm water)
- Warm water: as needed (about 2 to 2½ cups)
- Garam masala: ½ tsp
For the marinade:
- Mutton (bone-in, preferably shoulder or leg): 500g
- Yogurt: ½ cup (well-whisked)
- Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tbsp
- Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
- Salt: to taste
Method: The Art of Gentle Layers
- Marinate the mutton with yogurt, turmeric, salt, and ginger-garlic paste. Let it rest for at least 1 hour (overnight, if you plan ahead).
- In a heavy-bottomed pan or pressure cooker, heat Aram Sei’s cold-pressed groundnut oil. Add the whole spices — cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaf. Let them
sizzle until fragrant. - (Optional) Add sliced onions and sauté until golden. Many Kashmiri versions skip this, but it adds body to the gravy.
- Add the remaining ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell fades.
- Add the marinated mutton. Brown the pieces on all sides. This takes time — but that’s where the flavor builds.
- Reduce the heat. Add Kashmiri red chili powder, ginger powder, and fennel powder. Sauté gently without burning — the oil will turn a beautiful red.
- Add warm water mixed with a pinch of asafoetida. Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Slow cook the mutton until it’s fork-tender and the oil rises to the top. This can take 1.5–2 hours on the stovetop or 25–30 minutes in a pressure cooker.
- Finish with a sprinkle of garam masala and let it rest covered for a few minutes before serving.
As It Cooked, So Did Something Else
As the oil warmed and the spices hit the pan, the scent was instant — deep, spicy, grounding.
I added the mutton, marinated and tender. The browning took time — each side searing slowly, building that essential flavor crust. It wasn’t the kind of cooking you could rush. It asked for attention, but it returned so much more.
Halfway through, my mother called.
“Kya bana raha hai?” she asked.
“Rogan Josh,” I said, stirring.
There was a pause. Then a warm laugh.
“Beta, that’s not just dinner. That’s a project.”
And she was right.
The Secret That’s Not So Secret: Aram Sei’s Oil
Why Aram Sei’s Cold-Pressed Groundnut Oil Made It Work
As the gravy simmered and the house filled with spice and warmth, I realized what made it feel so… clean.
There was no oily film. No cloying residue. Just a fragrant, honest broth that clung to the mutton like silk. That’s where Aram Sei’s cold-pressed groundnut oil made its quiet difference.
- Withstood long cooking without breaking down
- Enhanced the spice profile without overwhelming it
- Added a faint nuttiness that made the fennel and dry ginger shine
- Balances spice and cream — helped the flavors linger beautifully
In a dish like Rogan Josh — where the oil is a carrier, a bridge between meat and masala — using something clean, cold-pressed, and unrefined doesn’t just help. It matters.
What Stayed With Me After the Plates Were Cleared
I served it with steamed rice, some warm rotis, and a small bowl of yogurt on the side.
There were no guests that day. No celebration. Just me, a quiet home, a full heart — and a dish that felt like it had been waiting for me to be ready for it.
It took two hours.
But it gave me something I hadn’t expected: peace.
Not just from the food, but from the act of cooking itself — of being present, of honoring every step, of choosing ingredients that respect the process.
This Wasn’t Just Rogan Josh. It Was a Reminder.
That the best things in life don’t come instantly.
That when you cook with care — and with ingredients like Aram Sei’s cold-pressed oils — the meal becomes more than nourishment.
It becomes a pause in your week. A grounding. A return.
Next time it rains, or the world outside feels a little too fast — you’ll know what to make. And when you do, start with a good base. Start with something real.
Start with Aram Sei.
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