Indian Roast Lamb Raan Food

SABUT RAAN (ROAST LEG OF LAMB)

Steps:

• In a small, dry saucepan over low heat, toast poppy seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf until they release their aromas. Use a mortar and pestle or spice grinder to process into a rough powder. Add garlic, ginger and salt and grind into a smooth paste. In a small bowl, mix with yogurt.
• Prick deep holes all over the lamb, or make gashes with a knife, then rub marinade all over meat and transfer to a roasting pan. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or as long as overnight.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan over medium to low heat, heat butter and sauté chopped onion until light golden. Set aside.
• Add 1 cup water to the roasting pan with the lamb, cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Gently flip the lamb over and bake for another 45 minutes. Flip the lamb again, pour the onions and clarified butter over the lamb and roast uncovered for about 1 hour, until the meat is tender, cooked through and lightly browned on the surface. If the pan starts to get dry at any time, add 1/2 cup water to it. When ready to serve, garnish the lamb with the fried onions, cilantro and lemon slices.

LEG OF LAMB IN A SPICY YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Remove all the fat from the outside of the leg and the white skin, or ask your butcher to do it.
• Put the leg in a baking dish, stainless steel or glass is preferred because of the yogurt marinade.
• Put in your blender or food processor the almonds, onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies and about 3 tablespoons of the yogurt, process to a paste.
• The remaining yogurt you put in a dish, beat lightly until smooth, add the paste and the cumin, coriander, cayenne and garam masala, mix.
• Stab the lamb all over, making good deep cuts.
• Now the fun begins, using your hands push generous amounts of paste in the natural openings of the lamb, then in the cuts you made.
• Spread remaining paste all over and around the lamb, the side that will be up should get a thick layer.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
• When ready to bake, remove the lamb from the fridge and give it enough time to get to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a small pan on a medium flame, when hot add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and peppercorns, when the cloves swell, this just takes seconds pour the hot oil and the spices over the lamb.
• Cover the dish with its own lid or tightly with aluminum foil, bake covered for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Remove the foil and bake for another 45 minutes or longer if you prefer.
• During this time baste the meat regularly with the sauce.
• Scatter, or make nice pattern, the sultana’s and almonds over the top of lamb in the yogurt paste.
• Bake for another 5-6 minutes.
• Remove the dish from the oven; leave it a warm place for 15 minutes or so.
• Take the leg out of the pan, spoon the fat from the top of the sauce, strain the sauce and discard the whole spices.
• Serve the leg on a platter with the sauce poured around it.