This is a dish made to impress – a whole leg of lamb, marinated in warming spices and slow-roasted until meltingly tender.
It’s rich, flavourful and feels like a celebration on a plate. This isn’t something you rush, it takes time, but the result is always worth it. It’s perfect for special occasions.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
For marinating
- 5kg whole lamb or mutton leg (bone-in, trimmed)
- 8 garlic cloves, grated
- thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
- 4 tbsp natural yoghurt
- juice of ½ lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp ground fennel seeds
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp meat tenderiser powder (optional)
For roasting
- 400ml stock or water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 bay leaves
- 5 green cardamom pods
To serve
- chopped fresh coriander
- pomegranate seeds
- lime wedges
- naan
- salad
Method:
- Pat the lamb leg dry with kitchen paper, then use a sharp knife to make deep slits all over the meat to help the marinade penetrate.
- Rub the garlic and ginger all over the lamb, making sure to work it into the slits. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix together the yoghurt, lemon juice, oil, spices, salt and meat tenderiser (if using) to form a smooth marinade.
- Rub the marinade all over the lamb, ensuring it’s coated thoroughly and worked into the slits. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight for best results. Remove the lamb from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring it back to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan.
- Place the lamb in a roasting tray. Pour in the stock or water and add the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and cardamom pods to the tray. Cover tightly with foil and roast for 2½–3 hours, basting occasionally, until the lamb is very tender and pulling away from the bone. (If using a mutton leg, it will take longer.)
- Remove the foil, increase the oven to 200°C/180°C fan, and roast uncovered for a further 20–25 minutes until browned and lightly crisped on the outside.
- Let the lamb rest for 20 minutes before serving. You can make a gravy with the pan juices, if desired, using a cornflour slurry (cornflour mixed with a little water) to thicken it. Slice or shred the meat and serve with fresh coriander, pomegranate seeds and lime wedges, with naan and salad on the side.
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