Lamb Raan Roast

1. Prepare a marinade by mixing 2 heaped tbsps Latasha’s Kitchen Rogan Josh Masala Paste mixed with a 200ml cup full fat yoghurt, a tbsp of sweet paprika, juice from a small lemon, a tbsp sunflower oil and salt flakes in a bowl.
2. Mix this marinade all over a whole lamb leg or shoulder, weighing approximately 1.5 to 2kg. Leave to marinate overnight or for at least 8 hrs in the fridge. Ensure lamb is brought back to room temperature prior to cooking.
3. Preheat oven set at 170°C for 20 minutes. Line a deep oven proof dish with baking paper and grease it well. Sprinkle a thick layer of almond meal all over the lamb so it is entirely covered, then transfer the lamb and any leftover marinade to the baking dish.  Drizzle some mustard oil/sunflower or rice bran oil all over the meat, then cover with foil and bake in a pre-heated oven set at 170°C for at least 3.5 hours.
4. Remove the foil and continue cooking for another 20 minutes until the meat is meltingly tender. Transfer meat to a platter to rest.

Remove any excess fat or oil from the roasting pan. Add the remaining juices from the roasting pan to a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and add 125ml double cream, stir until the gravy coats the back of your spoon. Either spoon this gravy evenly over the roast or serve on the side. Sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds and fresh coriander leaves.

This recipe will work well with a butterflied leg of lamb, mutton or goat or even shoulders. Adjust cooking times accordingly. Alternatively, this will cook well in a slow cooker at low temperature set for 8 hrs.

Serve with rotis, naan, Latasha’s Kitchen Coriander Sauce, Latasha’s Kitchen Zingy Tomato Chutney, a fresh salad made with onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, mint and chickpeas and a light dahl. Use pulled leftovers in a wrap.

HOW WE MAKE OUR ROGAN JOSH PASTE

The concentrated paste used in the recipe above can be purchased from all good stockists or online. Here’s the how we make if for you in our kitchen using only the best fresh and imported ingredients and slow cooking them to perfection;

As soon as we arrive in our kitchen, we’re greeted by our delivery of fresh ingredients from the markets; including brown onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and chillies.

Each ingredient is crushed, blended and prepared separately.

We then heat the pot with oil, butter and onions and let it caramelise. Once the onions turn translucent, freshly crushed garlic and ginger are added. This is then cooked over a long time and essential in developing the overall taste profile.

Latasha tastes each of the chilli purees and powders and adds them to the pan, ensuring the right heat is added to the sauce.

Her special blend of ground spices are also added, filling the room with an inescapable aroma with hints of nutmeg, cardamom and fennel. Yogurt powder, top-quality Indian Ginger powder and lemon juice are used to balance and finish the flavour profile and then mix is left to mature and thicken over the heat.