Indian Roast Leg of Lamb (Masala Raan) Recipe

Prepare the Lamb

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Trim all the fat off the leg of lamb. Using a sharp knife, remove any sinew (which looks like a thin, almost transparent film on parts of the meat). Alternatively, have your butcher do this for you. If the leg will be too large for your pans or your oven, ask the butcher to cut it into 2 pieces.

3. Use a sharp knife to cut deep slashes all over the meat. This allows the marinade to penetrate the meat and makes for a seriously well-flavored leg of lamb.

4. Place the meat in the center of a well-greased baking dish or pan.

Marinate the Meat

1. Place the quartered onions, almonds, and green chiles, along with the garlic and ginger pastes into a food processor and grind into a smooth, thick paste, only adding water while grinding if absolutely necessary.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk the yogurt until smooth and then mix it with the paste you just made.

3. Add the cumin, coriander, red chili powder, and garam masala to the yogurt mixture and stir until well combined.

4. Pour this marinade all over the meat and use your hands to rub the marinade into the meat, pushing it into the slashes you cut on the surface of the leg. Make sure all of the meat is well covered with the marinade.

5. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Roast the Lamb

1. Remove the marinated leg of lamb from the refrigerator and keep out to reach room temperature while the oven preheats to 400 F (200 C/Gas 6).

2. In a skillet, heat the oil and, when hot, add all the whole spices: cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and peppercorns. Sauté until they stop sizzling and begin to give off an aroma.

3. Pour the warm, spiced oil all over the marinated meat.

4. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Put the pan in the heated oven and cook for 2 hours.

5. Uncover the lamb and cook for 1 more hour. Baste the lamb every 10 minutes or so to ensure it remains moist. Remove the lamb from the oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes.

6. Carve the rested lamb into thick slices and serve garnished with the slivered almonds. You can spoon the pan juices over the meat if desired. Serve with plain rice or parathas.