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Spiced Leg Of Lamb
(Raan)
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| What You Need: |
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2 tablespoons scraped, finely chopped fresh ginger root
6 medium-sized garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
The seeds of 2 cardamom pods or 1/8 teaspoon cardamom seeds
A 1-inch piece of stick cinnamon, coarsely crushed with a rolling pin or mallet
8 whole cloves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground hot red pepper
4 teaspoons salt
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
A 5- to 6-pound leg of lamb, trimmed of all fell and any excess fat
½ cup unsalted, unroasted pistachios
½ cup seedless raisins
¼ cup slivered, blanched almonds
1 cup unflavored yoghurt
¼ cup honey
½ teaspoon saffron threads
3 tablespoons plus 1 cup boiling water
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Combine the ginger, garlic, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, turmeric, hot red pepper, salt and lemon juice in the jar of an electric blender. Blend at high speed for 30 seconds, then turn off the machine and scrape down the sides of the jar with a rubber spatula. Blend again until the mixture becomes a smooth puree.
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2. With a small, sharp knife, make about a dozen slashes 1 inch long and 2 inches deep on each side of the leg of lamb. Rub the spice puree over the entire outer surface of the leg, pressing it as deeply into the slashes as possible. Place the lamb in a heavy casserole large enough to hold it comfortably and set it aside to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
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3. Meanwhile puree the pistachios, raisins, almonds and yoghurt in the blender jar, and spread the mixture evenly over the lamb. Drip the honey on top of the leg, cover the casserole tightly, and marinate the lamb in a cool place for about 24 hours, or in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours.
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4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Drop the saffron threads into a small bowl, add 3 tablespoons of boiling water, and let them soak for 15 minutes. Pour the safe fron and its soaking water over the leg of lamb, and pour the remaining cup of water down the sides of the casserole.
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5. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover tightly, and bake the lamb in the middle of the oven for 1½ hours. Then reduce the heat to 250°F and bake 30 minutes longer, or until the lamb is tender and shows no resistance when pierced with the point of a small, sharp knife.
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6. Remove the casserole from the oven, uncover it, and let the lamb cool in the sauce for 1 hour before serving.
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