Lamb - Tikka Lamb Leg
The recipe is based on an old one of Mr Oliver’s, though I think he uses a shoulder. But I had this monster of a leg..and it was crying out for a summer spice mix. So..here we go.

Ingredients
- 2kg leg of lamb
- Tikka paste – recipe in a mo..be patient
- Red chiili, deseeded and sliced finely
- 2 garlic cloves finely sliced
- I red onion finely sliced
- Ok- for the tikka paste – you could use a shop bought jar – but why bother? This is funkier and sexier and far far tastier.
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- Thumb size piece of ginger, peeled
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tsp veg oil or ground nut oil
- 2 tbsp of tomato sauce
- 2 red chillies
- Small bunch of coriander
- 2 tsp ground almonds
- For the salad:
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- small handful of dry curry leaves crumbled
- 1 tsp of chutney – I use Mrs Balls but mango chutney would be okey dokey
- 4 poppadoms
- 2 carrots peeled and grated
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 bunch radishes
- 3 spring onions
- 2 little gem lettuces
- a big handful of cherry tomatoes
- 1 red chill deseeded
- bunch coriander
- bunch of mint
- lemon
Details
servings 4
Level of difficulty Average
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 200mins
Cost Average budget
Preparation
Step 1
For the paste – fry cumin and coriander seeds on a medium heat until toasted and smelling good. Add to a food processor with all the other ingredients and whizz until smooth.
Step 2
Score lightly the fat side of the lamb. Smear it all over with the tikka paste – you will not use it all. Then stab a few holes in the skin and slot in the red chilli slices and garlic slices. It should look like this...
Step 3
In an ideal world..I do not live in one but you might....marinate over night...pre heat oven when you are ready to cook it...170c. Lay the red onion slices on the bottom of a roasting tin. Drizzle with oil. Place lamb on top. Pop in the oven , covered with a wet sheet of grease proof paper for 3 and a half hours. Baste every half an hour. The coating will be beautifully wizened as in photo at top of page. Slice chunks off , or pull off with two forks.
Step 4
Serve it with this brilliant crunchy Indian Chopped Salad.
Step 5
On a large board add the grated carrot, then chop up finely the cucumber, radishes, lettuce, tomatoes, chilli and the herbs. Add to the board and mix well. In a frying pan, gently fry the fenugreek, mustard seeds and the curry leaves in a glug of oil – I used garlic infused rapeseed oil. When the mustard seeds start to pop and jump – take off heat and add the chutney. Let it cool, then add to the board and mix in with all the other ingredients, plus a little grind of rock salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Crumble in the poppadom and stir again.
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