3 hours would be enough to cook that size leg.
I like to use a yogurt marinade with my leg of lamb. I also like to serve it with naan to stretch the meal than just cut up by itself . We love any type of richly spiced gravy and this one is worthy of a drool (that's what my boys do when I cook something they like
).
Moghulai Lamb (Inspired by the Moghuls)
Leg of Lamb - I like to rinse mine and pat it dry.
Make a Marinade
- 3 cups thick middle eastern yogurt
- juice of half a lime
- 1 tbsp of cumin seeds, toasted and powdered
- 1 tbsp of corrainder seeds, toasted and powdered
- 3 onions - Sliced thinly and then fried in oil until they are caramalized (they are crunchy and taste like sweet candy). Remove and drain on paper towels.
- 1 tbsp of paprika
- 1/2 stick of ginger
- 4 large cloves of garlic
- 1/2 tbsp of chili powder (less if you don't like spicy food)
- Freshly chopped cilantro (1/2 cup)
- Freshly chopped mint (1/4 cup)
- 2 boiled eggs sliced
- quarters of lime
- salt to taste
Tempering:
1/2 tbsp of oil
1 stick of cinnamon
3 bay leaves
4 cloves
3 cardamom pods
Grind yogurt, lime juice, onions, salt, garlic, ginger and spices in a blender. It should be a nice thick sort of a gravy . Put the lamb in an oven proof pan, pour the marinade on top and leave it in the refrigerator overnigh.
Next morning, heat some oil, when it's hot throw in the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom pods. Once they splutter pour the oil and the spices over the marinating lamb. Cover the entire pan with foil and place in the oven for 2 hours (350 is fine).
Open, and let it cook some more for another hour.
The leg should be tender and should almost fall apart. Remove the pan, add the cilantro, mint and eggs, stir slightly and serve with lime wedges, naan and plain or saffron infused basmati rice.