Sinkandari Raan (Spiced Leg of Lamb)
This was the raan made the night before I left my home—my henna night—the meal my mother fed me by hand. In some ways, for me, that was the night of my biggest loss… leaving Ammu. But in my loss, there lay ahead my victory—when I could re-create this meal for others; where I used food to empower myself and other women around me.It is an auspicious dish that takes time to cook but it is worth the wait. The story behind this dish is that it was made for the defeated Indian king Porus by the chefs of Alexander the Great after the Battle of Hydaspes in 326 BC. The battle took place along the banks of the River Jhelum (which is now in modern-day Punjab in Pakistan). This special raan was made for a banquet to honor the agreement between two kings. The original recipe is, of course, lost in the mists of time, so this is my family’s version. The use of the local Himalayan pink salt and the pungent, sulphuric black salt, kala namak, is what makes this recipe so unusual.This raan goes well with any bread, such as paratha or roti. For a special occasion, serve with Rose, Apricot, and Pistachio Pulao (page 212 of Ammu: Indian Home-Cooking to Nourish Your Soul).
Ingredients
- 2 small legs of spring lamb, about 2 pounds 3 ounces each (alternatively, use a shoulder of lamb or a medium leg of mutton or lamb, cut into 2 pieces)
- ¾ cup ghee, or more to taste
For the marinade
- 6 tablespoons Himalayan pink salt
- 3 tablespoons mild chile powder
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons ginger paste
- 4 tablespoons garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons black cumin seeds (shah zeera)
- 4 large Indian bay leaves (tej patta)
- 3 (1-inch) pieces of cassia bark (or cinnamon stick)
- ½ cup malt or cider vinegar
For the masala
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
- 1 inch piece of cassia bark (or cinnamon stick)
- 2 cloves
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 1 tablespoons white peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon kala namak (black salt)
- 2 teaspoons amchur (dried mango powder), or juice of ½ a lime
Instructions
- Using a knife, make a couple of incisions on both sides of the lamb, releasing the meat from the bone at the top of each leg so you can push some of the marinade between the bone and the meat. Rub the pink salt and chile powder over the lamb. Put the legs into a sturdy roasting pan that you can use on the stovetop (you will need to reduce the liquid over the heat at a later stage). Mix the lemon juice with the ginger and garlic pastes and rub all over the lamb. Mix the black cumin, bay leaves, and cassia bark with the vinegar, then rub this over the lamb, too. Leave for 30 minutes, turning the legs in the vinegar and spice marinade and “basting” the meat with the marinade at 10-minute intervals.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Cover the roasting pan with foil and cook undisturbed in the middle of the oven for 2½ hours.
- To make the masala, dry roast the cumin and fenugreek seeds, cassia bark, cloves, cardamoms, and peppercorns in a heavy-based pan over low heat, stirring until they turn a few shades darker. Tip them onto a plate and leave to cool. Grind to a powder, using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle.
- Remove the roasting pan from the oven and remove the foil. Melt the ghee and pour over the legs of lamb.
- Put the roasting pan on your burner and bring the liquid to a slow rolling boil, turning the lamb once or twice, until the liquid has reduced (you can also do this under the broiler). Turn off the heat.
- To finish the masala, mix the black salt and amchur with the ground spices. Sprinkle the masala over the lamb and roll the legs in the roasting pan so all the remaining liquid sticks to the lamb. Taste, and if the seasoning needs to be adjusted, add more Himalayan pink salt.
- To serve, place the lamb on a large serving plate and carve into thick slices at the table.
Notes
From Ammu: Indian Home-Cooking to Nourish Your Soul by Asma Khan
