Lamb With Walnuts

Coasty's Note:

Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998). I haven't made this recipe yet but have eaten something similar. To make your own garam masala use "Garam Masala - Aromatic Kashmiri Spice Blend for Spicy Cooking!"

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

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

Sauce

• 125 g walnuts
• 3 teaspoons honey

Directions:

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 onto 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.