Tandoori Raan
In India, it should be noted, much “mutton” is actually goat, and—except in the most expensive restaurants or wealthiest homes—this spice mixture would be used on meat that would later be braised in a yogurt sauce, much like the one for the meatballs on page 424. But with our relatively young, tender lamb, you can just rub the meat with the spices and grill. (If you refrigerate for an hour or a day, the taste will be somewhat improved, but it’s not imperative.) I find this dish just as elegant as the French version, page 358, especially when it is on the spicy but mild side, with the chiles omitted. Serve with simple Pilaf (page 513) and, if you like, Curried Carrots (page 451). Other cuts of meat you can use here: beef steaks like skirt, sirloin (New York) strip, or ribeye are all good treated this way.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 or more servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine the onion, garlic, and ginger in a food processor and grind until pasty. Put in a fine strainer and drain as much water as possible from the mixture. Meanwhile, toast the spices in a small dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently until they become aromatic, about 3 minutes. Grind together until very fine.
Step 2
Trim the lamb of any excess fat and, if any parts seem overly thick, make a horizontal cut in the meat so they lie fairly flat; sprinkle with salt. Combine the spice mixture and the onion mixture and rub this all over the meat. Use a thin-bladed knife to poke some holes in the lamb and stick a little bit of the mixture into each of them, too. If time allows, fold the meat in half, wrap tightly in plastic, and marinate, refrigerated, for up to a day.
Step 3
When you’re ready to cook, start a charcoal or gas grill or preheat the broiler; the fire should be quite hot and the rack at least 4 inches from the heat source. Grill or broil the meat until it is nicely browned, even a little charred, on both sides, 20 to 30 minutes, and the internal temperature at the thickest part is about 125°F; this will give you some lamb that is quite rare as well as some that is nearly well done. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly, as you would a thick steak.
