Raan of Lamb (kashmiri raan) Recipe
Indian Recipes

A raan is first marinated in a mixture of yogurt, almonds, and saffron, and then slowly roasted until tender. It makes a spectacular centerpiece for a special occasion and is sometimes decorated with silver leaf. I first tasted it at a family lunch in Delhi. On this occasion it was a raan of venison; thinly sliced, it was magnificent, with an array of vegetables and homemade pickled vegetables. This recipe comes from Geeta Samtani.

Ingredients:

5 lb
2 tbsp
6 tsp
1 tsp
1 tsp
1 tsp
1/2 tsp
1 tsp
1/2 tsp
2 tbsp
2 tbsp
1 cup
1/2 cup
1/2 cup
1/2 tsp
1 tbsp

1/2 cup

leg of lamb
finely chopped fresh ginger
garlic cloves, crushed
ground cumin
turmeric
ground black pepper
ground cinnamon
ground cardamom
ground cloves
lemon juice
vegetable oil
thick yogurt
ground almonds
roughly chopped pistachio nuts
saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp hot water
clear honey
salt and pepper
toasted blanched almonds
mango chutney, to serve

Method:

1. Trim the leg of lamb of all the fat and, using a sharp knife, make a series of cuts in the meat.
   

2. Combine the ginger, garlic, spices, lemon juice, and oil, and rub the mixture all over the lamb.
   

3. Mix the yogurt, ground almonds, pistachios, saffron and its liquid, and honey to make a smooth marinade, season to taste with salt and pepper, and spread over the leg of lamb. Leaves the lamb to marinate overnight or up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
   

4. Preheat the oven to 450F. Put the lamb in a roasting pan with the marinade and roast in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375F and roast the lamb for a further 13/4 hours.
   

5. Remove the leg of lamb from the oven, loosely cover with foil, and leaves to stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle the lamb with toasted blanched almonds, then slice it and serve with a good mango chutney.

Serves 6-8