Raan
Raan is a whole leg of lamb marinated for two days in yoghurt, ginger, garlic, almonds, saffron and a range of spices, then slow-roasted in the oven. The dish belongs to North Indian celebration cooking and has roots in the Mughal kitchen, where lamb and spiced yoghurt marinades have been staple ingredients for centuries.
It is the long marinating that makes the dish. The acid from the yoghurt and lemon tenderises the meat, while the spices penetrate all the way through. The deep cuts in the leg give the marinade a direct path in. After four hours in the oven, the meat falls off the bone, and the roasting juices reduce with the almonds and sugar into a thick, dark sauce.
Serve it in thick slices with basmati rice, naan bread and a fresh chutney. It is a dish that requires planning — the marinating alone takes 48 hours — but the active work at the stove is limited.
Ingredients
Serves 6
- 1 leg of lamb, approx. 2.5 kg, skin and fat removed
- 50 g fresh ginger, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 lemon, zest of
- 8 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 6 cardamom pods, seeds only
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1½ tsp chilli powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 300 ml yoghurt
- 150 g whole almonds, with skin
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp saffron threads, soaked in 3 tbsp boiling water
- flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
Directions
Prick the leg of lamb all over with a fork. Make about 12 deep cuts with a sharp knife — the marinade needs to penetrate right into the meat.
Blend the ginger, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, cardamom, cloves, turmeric, chilli powder and salt to a smooth paste in a blender or food processor.
Place the leg of lamb in an ovenproof pot and rub the paste into the meat from all sides and down into the cuts. Leave it to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
Blend 4 tbsp of the yoghurt with the almonds and 2 tbsp of the sugar in the blender to a coarse paste. Stir it together with the remaining yoghurt and pour the mixture over the leg of lamb. Turn it so it is completely coated.
Cover the pot well and refrigerate for 48 hours. Turn the leg a couple of times during this time.
Remove the pot from the fridge about 1 hour before roasting so the meat can come to temperature. Sprinkle the remaining sugar (2 tbsp) over the leg.
Preheat the oven to 430°F (220°C). Place the pot in the oven without the lid and roast for 30 minutes until the surface has started to brown.
Put the lid on the pot and reduce the heat to 320°F (160°C). Roast for a further 3 hours. Baste the leg with the roasting juices occasionally.
Remove the lid, spoon the saffron water over the leg and roast for a further 30 minutes — or until the meat is very tender and falls easily from the bone.
Lift the leg out of the pot, wrap it in foil and leave it to rest somewhere warm. Skim the fat from the roasting juices and reduce the sauce on the hob until thick and even.
Place the leg on a serving dish, pour the sauce over it and garnish with flat-leaf parsley. Slice into thick portions when serving.
Notes
Allow 20 minutes of active prep, 1 hour resting at room temperature, 48 hours marinating and about 4 hours roasting.
The almonds in the sauce give it both body and a light sweetness. If you prefer a smoother sauce, blitz it at the end with a stick blender.
The dish is fine to sit covered for half an hour before carving — the meat only becomes more tender, and the sauce keeps warm in the pot.
See Also
Cucumber Raita (Kheera Raita)
Mint Raita
Green Chutney
Tamarind Chutney
