Lamb With Walnuts

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 kg leg of lamb, boned
• 1 tablespoon ginger, finely grated
• 2 teaspoons garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon coriander, ground
• 2 teaspoons cumin, ground
• 2 teaspoons kashmiri garam masala
• 1 tablespoon ghee, softened
• 24 dried apricot halves
• 375 ml hot water
• 1 pinch saffron strand
• 125 g walnuts
• 3 teaspoons honey

Recipe

• 1 trim excess fat from the lamb and make a few deep slits in the meat with the point of a sharp knife. combine ginger and garlic with salt, spices and half the ghee. press a little of the mixture into each of the slits in the lamb and rub remaining mixture well over the meat.
• 2 soak apricots in hot water to cover while lamb marinates for at least 2 hours, overnight if possible. toast saffron strands in a dry pan for a minute or less, taking care not to burn them. turn a saucer to cool, then crush to a powder with the back of a spoon. dissolve saffron powder in 2 tablespoons boiling water.
• 3 heat remaining ghee in a large, heavy pot and on medium heat lightly brown the lamb all over. add apricot soaking liquid and dissolved saffron, making up to 11/2 cups with hot water. cover and simmer on very low heat for 40 minutes. add apricots to pan and continue simmering for a further 20 minutes or until fruit is soft and lamb is tender.
• 4 to make the sauce, pour off lamb juices and skim off excess fat floating on the surface. grind walnuts in a blender with lamb juices and honey. taste and adjust salt if necessary. slice the lamb and pour walnut sauce over. serve with pilau rice or naan roti.