Leg Of Lamb In A Spicy Yogurt Sauce

Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 5 -6 lbs leg of lamb
• 2 ounces blanched almonds
• 8 ounces onions, coarsely chopped
• 8 cloves peeled garlic
• 4 pieces ginger, approx 1 inch,peeled and coarsely chopped
• 4 fresh hot green chilies, coarsely chopped
• 20 fluid ounces plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 4 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
• 16 cardamom pods
• 2 inches cinnamon sticks
• 10 black peppercorns
• 4 tablespoons sultanas
• 1 ounce blanched split almonds or 1 ounce slivered almonds

Recipe

• 1 remove all the fat from the outside of the leg and the skin, or ask your butcher to do it.
• 2 put the leg in a baking dish, stainless steel or glass is preferred because of the yogurt marinade.
• 3 put in your blender or food processor the almonds, onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies and about 3 tablespoons of the yogurt, process to a paste.
• 4 the remaining yogurt you put in a dish, beat lightly until smooth, add the paste and the cumin, coriander, cayenne and garam masala, mix.
• 5 stab the lamb all over, making good deep cuts.
• 6 now the fun begins, using your hands push generous amounts of paste in the natural openings of the lamb, then in the cuts you made.
• 7 spread remaining paste all over and around the lamb, the side that will be up should get a thick layer.
• 8 cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
• 9 when ready to bake, remove the lamb from the fridge and give it enough time to get to room temperature.
• 10 preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.
• 11 heat the oil in a small pan on a medium flame, when hot add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and peppercorns, when the cloves swell, this just takes seconds pour the hot oil and the spices over the lamb.
• 12 cover the dish with its own lid or tightly with aluminum foil, bake covered for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• 13 remove the foil and bake for another 45 minutes or longer if you prefer.
• 14 during this time baste the meat regularly with the sauce.
• 15 scatter, or make nice pattern, the sultana’s and almonds over the top of lamb in the yogurt paste.
• 16 bake for another 5-6 minutes.
• 17 remove the dish from the oven; leave it a warm place for 15 minutes or so.
• 18 take the leg out of the pan, spoon the fat from the top of the sauce, strain the sauce and discard the whole spices.
• 19 serve the leg on a platter with the sauce poured around it.