The islandchief

Raan Kebab

PUBLISHED November 10, 2020

Chef Raj Singh

Sous Chef

Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa

Hailing from Northern India, Sous Chef Raj Singh started his culinary journey in his childhood where he learnt the art of homemade Indian food from his family. After graduating in Hotel Management, he moved to the 'City of Dreams', Mumbai, to pursue his own dream of becoming a chef. 17 years on, he is now at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa where his connection and love for his homeland is reflected through his deliciously authentic Indian recipes at Baraabaru. Raan Kebab, a delicacy consisting of a whole leg of lamb slowly cooked in a tandoor oven, is vibrantly brought to life with Indian spices in this recipe. True to its name, Baraabaru – which means ‘excellent’ in Dhivehi – presents homemade, authentic Indian cuisine inspired by the Chef’s native country century-old traditions

Ingredients

(Serves 2)

Lamb leg 1.2 kg

Ginger 8 g

Garlic 12 g

Salt 11 g

Chilli powder 8 g

Yogurt 120 g

Lemon juice 74 ml

Coriander seeds 14 g

Black peppercorn 11 g

Cumin 16 g

Ground almonds 8 g

Ground cinnamon 8 g

Shallots 75 g

Cardamom 12 g

Preparation / Method

The day prior to serving the dish, score the leg of lamb with a sharp knife, making deep cuts and crosses on both sides. Set aside.

In a spice grinder, or pestle and mortar, grind the cumin, coriander seeds, black peppercorns and cardamom together. Put the spices into a large bowl, then add the yogurt, garlic, ginger, almonds, lemon juice, chilli powder, ground cinnamon and salt.

Rub the marinade onto the lamb and into the grooves, then transfer to a large casserole dish and cover. Leave in the fridge overnight. The next day, around 3 hours prior to serving the Raan Kebab, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ gas 4.

Transfer the lamb to a deep roasting tray, pour 125 ml of water into the tray and loosely cover with foil. Cook for 2 hrs 15 minutes until the lamb is pink in the middle. Alternatively, should you prefer the lamb well done, continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes.

Forty-five minutes before the lamb is cooked, add the unpeeled shallots to the pan and lightly drizzle with oil. With 20 minutes to go, remove the foil so that the lamb browns nicely. Take the meat out of the oven, cover with foil and allow it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!