Raan Masaledar - Spicy Leg of Lamb
Submitted by marieg
Raan masaledar: whole leg of lamb marinated 24 hours in a yogurt-almond-chili paste with garam masala, then slow-roasted and garnished with sultanas and almonds.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
27 hrsRaan masaledar is the showstopper of Indian lamb cooking. A whole leg gets slashed deep, packed with a fragrant spice paste made from blended almonds, onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies, and yogurt, then marinates for a full 24 hours before going into the oven.
That overnight marinade is where the magic happens. The yogurt tenderizes the meat while ground cumin, coriander, cayenne, and garam masala penetrate through every cut and crevice. By the time it goes into the oven, the spices have worked deep into the flesh, not just painted on the surface.
Before roasting, a tempering of whole cloves, cardamom pods, a cinnamon stick, and black peppercorns fried in hot oil gets poured over the leg. This blooms the whole spices and adds another aromatic layer to the dish. Covered for 90 minutes, then uncovered for 45 more with regular basting, the lamb turns fall-apart tender under a deeply spiced crust. Sultanas and slivered almonds scattered on top at the very end add sweetness and crunch.
Pro Tips
- Make deep slashes with a sharp, pointed knife and push the paste in with your fingers. Shallow cuts won’t let the marinade reach the center of the meat.
- Use a food processor to blend the paste. A smooth, uniform paste coats and penetrates better than a chunky one.
- Let the lamb come to room temperature before roasting. A cold leg from the fridge will cook unevenly.
- Skim the fat and fish out the whole spices from the sauce before serving. The whole spices have done their job and aren’t meant to be eaten.
Variations
- Milder version: Reduce the green chilies to one and halve the cayenne for a more family-friendly heat level.
- Slow cooker raan: After marinating, transfer to a slow cooker on low for 8 hours for a hands-off version that’s just as tender.
Ingredients
Directions
Make sure that all the fat has been trimmed from the outside of the leg and that most of the fell (parchment-like white skin) has been pulled off.
Put the leg in a baking dish made, preferably, of pyrex or stainless steel.
Put the 2 oz. almonds, onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies, and 3 tablespoons of the yogurt into the container of a food processor or blender and blend until you have a paste.
Put the remaining yogurt into a bowl.
Beat lightly with a fork or a whisk until it is smooth and creamy.
Add the paste from the processor, the cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt and garam masala.
Mix.
Push some of the spice paste into all the openings in the lamb.
Be quite generous.
Spread the paste evenly on the underside of the leg (the side that originally had less fat.)
Now, using a small, sharp, pointed knife make deep slashes in the meat, and push in the spice paste with your fingers.
Turn the leg over so its outer side (the side that was once covered with fat) is on the top.
Spread a very thick layer of paste over it.
Again, make deep slashes with the knife and push the spice paste into the slashes.
Pour all the remaining spice paste over and around the meat.
Cover with plastic cling film and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Take the baking dish with the meat out of the refrigerator and let the meat come to room temperature.
Remove the cling film.
Heat the oil in a small frying pan over a medium flame.
When hot, put in the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and peppercorns.
When the cloves swell - this takes just a few seconds - pour the hot oil and spices over the leg of lamb.
Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Cover the baking dish tightly either with its own lid or with a large piece of aluminium foil.
Bake, covered, for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
Baste 3 to 4 times with the sauce during this period.
Scatter, or arrange in a pattern, the sultanas and the ½ oz.
almonds over the top of the leg and bake for another 5 to 6 minutes.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it sit in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Take the leg out of the pan and set it on a warm platter.
Spoon off all the fat from the top of the sauce.
Use a slotted spoon and fish out all the whole spice in the sauce.
Discard the spices.
Pour the sauce around the leg.
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