Sikandari raan (spiced leg of lamb) recipe
This is an auspicious dish that takes time to cook but it is worth the wait. The use of the local Himalayan pink salt and the pungent, sulphuric black salt, kala namak, is what makes this recipe so unusual. This raan goes well with any bread, such as paratha or roti.
Ingredients
For the lamb- 2 small legs of spring lamb, about 1kg/2.2lbs each (alternatively, use a shoulder of lamb or a medium leg of mutton or lamb, cut into 2 pieces)
- 200 g ghee
- 6 tbsp Himalayan pink salt
- 3 tbsp mild chilli powder
- 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 4 tbsp ginger paste
- 4 tbsp garlic paste
- 2 tbsp black cumin seeds (shah zeera)
- 4 large Indian bay leaves (tej patta)
- 3 x 2.5cm/1inch pieces of cassia bark
- 120 ml malt vinegar
- 0.5 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 x 2.5cm/1inch piece of cassia bark
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 1 tbsp white peppercorns
- 1 tsp kala namak (black salt)
- 2 tsp amchur (dried mango powder), or juice of half a lime
Details
- Cuisine: Indian
- Recipe Type: Lamb
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 25 mins
- Cooking Time: 210 mins
- Serves: 6
Step-by-step
- Using a knife, make a couple of incisions on both sides of the lamb and release the meat from the bone at the top of each leg, so you can push some of the marinade between the bone and the meat. Rub the pink rock salt and chilli powder over the lamb.
- Put the legs into a sturdy roasting tin that you can use on the hob (you will need to reduce the liquid over the heat at a later stage).
- Mix the lemon juice with the ginger and garlic and rub all over the lamb. Mix the black cumin, bay leaves and cassia bark with the vinegar, then rub this over the lamb too. Leave for 30 minutes, turning the legs in the vinegar and spice marinade and ‘basting’ the meat with the marinade at 10-minute intervals.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Cover the roasting tin with foil and cook undisturbed in the middle of the oven for 2.5 hours.
- To make the masala, dry roast the cumin and fenugreek seeds, cassia bark, cloves, cardamoms and peppercorns in a heavy-based pan over a low heat, stirring until they turn a few shades darker. Tip them onto a plate and leave to cool. Grind to a powder, using a spice grinder or a pestle and mortar.
- Remove the tin from the oven and remove the foil. Melt the ghee and pour over the legs of lamb.
- Put the roasting tin on the hob and bring the liquid to a slow rolling boil, turning the lamb once or twice, until the liquid is reduced. Turn off the heat.
- To finish the masala, mix the black salt and amchur powder with the ground spices. Sprinkle the masala over the lamb and roll the legs in the roasting tin so all the remaining liquid sticks to the lamb. Taste, and if the seasoning needs to be adjusted, add more Himalayan pink salt.
- To serve, place the lamb on a large serving plate and carve into thick slices at the table.
This recipe is extracted from Ammu by Asma Khan (Ebury Press, £26). Photography by Laura Edwards.
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