Bala Thomson's Masala Lamb

This recipe comes from Bala Thomson's Curries for Kiwis.

Leg of lamb (1.25kg )
1 medium onion, chopped
6cm piece of fresh ginger, chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon mixed ground spices
1 small cup sour yoghurt
salt to taste
tinfoil for covering

In a blender, put chopped onions, garlic, ginger, poppy seeds, turmeric, chilli powder, ground spices, yoghurt and salt. Blend until smooth.

Cut excess fat from leg of lamb and using a sharp knife make several cuts on the meaty part of the leg. Now spread the spices mixture all over the leg and inside the cuts. Place in a deep dish or roasting pan and pour over any leftover spiced mixture. Keep dish covered in the refrigerator overnight and, if possible, for a whole day.

Pre-heat the oven. Place the roasting dish, covered with tinfoil, in the hot oven for half an hour for sealing. Reduce the heat and cook for another hour and a half. Near the end of the cooking time, uncover the leg and let it brown on top. The meat will keep well, so you can serve it hot, or cold with salad.

Curries for Kiwis, ©Bala Thomson, published by INL Print.