Chef Naved is delighted to share the secrets of his Lamb Raan. A wonderful dish of tender, slow-cooked raan (leg), pulled into silky shreds and combined with a deliciously savoury masala.
Lamb Raan makes a most satisfying centrepiece (especially for Eid). Some preparation is required (including a 24-hour marination, if time allows), but your efforts will be very well rewarded. We heartily recommend serving alongside gunpowder potatoes, a bowl of greens and naan.
If you are fortunate to have any leftovers, pile into soft pillowy bread buns and garnish with slaw, gherkins, baby spinach and fried green chillies to make our popular lamb raan buns.
METHOD
Step 1
Place the lamb in a dish. Mix the salt and chilli powder together and rub the mixture all over the lamb. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Grate the garlic and ginger using a microplane, or grind to a fine paste using a pestle and mortar. When the 30 minutes is up, rub the garlic and ginger paste all over the lamb. Cover and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.
Step 3
Take the lamb out of the fridge 5 hours before you want to eat and leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4.
Step 4
Place the lamb joint in a deep casserole pot (that has a lid). Add the bay leaf, spices and vinegar and pour in enough water to come at least halfway up the meat (around 300ml). Put the lid on and place the pot into the oven. Roast for 4 hours, turning the joint over every hour, basting regularly and topping up the water if the level goes below a third of the way up the lamb.
Step 5
Once cooked, remove the lamb from the oven and leave it to rest in its cooking liquor for 20–30 minutes. Preheat the grill to high.
Step 6
Pour the cooking liquor through a sieve into a measuring jug; discard the residue in the sieve. Working in the dish, pull the meat from the bone; set the bon aside. Shred the meat using two forks or your hands. Add 120ml of the reserved cooking liquor, the butter and 2 tsp kabab masala. Mix, taste, and add a little more cooking liquor, lime juice or kabab masala as you wish.
Step 7
Place the reserved bone in a flameproof serving dish and pile the meat on and around it, so that it resembles a joint. Place under the hot grill for 4–5 minutes to create a few crispy bits on top.
Step 8
Bring the lamb raan to the table in the dish. Have lime wedges and a dish of extra kabab masala on the table for guests to add more if they wish.
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