Moghul-Style Roast Lamb
4-6 servings
Source: Indian, Shehzad Husain & Rafi Fernandez, Hermes House
- 4 large onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 piece fresh ginger, 5 cm / 2 inch long, chopped
- 3 tbsp ground almonds
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 4-6 fresh green chili
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt, to taste
- 300 ml / ½ pint / 1¼ cups natural (plain) yogurt, beaten
- 1.8 kg / 4 lb leg of lamb
- 8-10 cloves
- 4 firm tomatoes, halved and grilled, to serve
- watercress, to garnish
- 1 tbsp flaked almonds, to garnish
Place the first 11 ingredients in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Gradually add the yogurt and blend until smooth. Grease a large deep baking tray and preheat oven to 190ºC / 375ºF / Gas 5.
Remove most of the fat and skin from the lamb. Using a sharp knife, make deep pockets above the bone at each side of the thick end. Make deep diagonal gashes on both sides. Push the cloves into the leg of lamb at random.
Place the lamb on the baking tray and push some of the spice mixture into the pockets and gashes. Spread the remaining spice mixture evenly all over the lamb. Loosely cover the whole tray with foil. Roast in the preheated oven for 2 - 2½ hours or until the lamb is cooked, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with grilled tomatoes, garnished with watercress, and garnish the join with the flaked almonds.