A Raan is a full leg of mutton, flavoured with spices and roasted patiently till the juices and the spices mingle to form the most delectable dish. After the last rather negative mention, I started searching the net, and asking around for a good recipe to try myself. Here’s one.

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MOGHLAI RAAN Serves 6
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INGREDIENTS
1 kg leg of mutton
2 onions, chopped fine
100grams raw papaya
250gms yoghurt
100 gms desiccated coconut
6 dry red chilies
1 tsp khuskhus (poppy seed)
1 tsp dhania (coriander seed)
2 pieces javantri (mace – the outer husk of nutmeg)
10 almonds
1 inch piece ginger
1 tsp charoli (chironji)
1 pinch jeera (cumin seed)
2 bits of cinnamon stick
10 cloves
1 tsp shahjeera
3 cardamoms
1 cup channa (chick pea)
4 tbsp melted ghee

PREPARATION
Prick the mutton all over with a fork. Then apply the crushed raw papaya and a teaspoon of salt on it. Rub it so that the papaya juice penetrates the meat. Set aside to marinate for at least 2 hours, more if possible.

Meanwhile fry the onion lightly till pale gold. Set aside.

Roast all the spices on a hot skillet till the fragrances rise. Don’t let them burn. Grind them all together into a paste with the fried onions and desiccated coconut. Mix this into the yoghurt.

Coat the marinated meat all over with the spices and leave it for another hour if possible.

Cook in the oven at 150C till the meat is separating from the bone.

Blanch the almonds in hot water and then chop into fine slivers. Sprinkle over the fragrant Raan, and serve hot with rotis, pickle and Raita.

The real Indian – ‘Awadhi’ way of cooking is slowly in a ‘dum’. The Raan would be placed in a huge dish, covered and the lid sealed shut with dough, and then cooked slowly over a coal fire. If you can manage that, nothing is said to work or taste better.

Indian food

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