This dish can be served with all the usual trimmings, such as roast potatoes and veggies, or mix it up and serve with buttery basmati rice and roasted spiced cauliflower. Perfect for a chilled out cold Autumn day!
1.8 to 2kg leg of Scotch lamb 200g Greek yoghurt 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil 2 teaspoons ground coriander 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds, dry toasted and crushed with a mortar and pestle 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, dry toasted and crushed with a mortar and pestle 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 thumb sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated Juice and zest of 1 lemon 1/2 teaspoon salt
Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 1. Dry toast the mustard seeds and fennel seeds in a small frying pan. Once the seeds start to release their aroma remove from the pan and crush in a mortar and pestle. 2. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix together to form a smooth paste. 3. Use a sharp knife to cut 3 slashes on the top and bottom of the leg of lamb. Massage the marinade all over the meat getting right into the slashes. Leave the meat to marinade for at least one hour, but preferably in the fridge overnight. Allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking. 4. Heat oven to 200°C. Place the lamb in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 160°C. Continue to cook for around four hours, checking every hour or so and adding a few tablespoons of water to the tray to stop the meat from drying out. If the outside of the lamb begins to look very brown place some tin foil over it for the rest of the cooking time and reduce the oven temperature to 150°C. 5. Remove from the oven, loosely cover with tin foil and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.
