Servings: 6

2kg leg of lamb or boned shoulder, trimmed 2kg leg of lamb or boned shoulder, trimmed
steamed rice and tomato chutney to serve steamed rice and tomato chutney to serve
Sauce: subheading: Sauce:
50g blanched almonds, roughly chopped, plus a small handful (chopped, split or slivered to finish the lamb) 50g blanched almonds, roughly chopped, plus a small handful (chopped, split or slivered to finish the lamb)
225g (2 medium) onions, roughly chopped 225g (2 medium) onions, roughly chopped
8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4 teaspoons grated ginger 4 teaspoons grated ginger
4 hot green chillies, roughly chopped 4 hot green chillies, roughly chopped
500ml natural yogurt 500ml natural yogurt
2 tablespoons cumin seeds, ground as above 2 tablespoons cumin seeds, ground as above
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon garam masala ½ teaspoon garam masala
6 tablespoons vegetable oil 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon whole cloves ½ teaspoon whole cloves
16 cardamom pods 16 cardamom pods
5cm cinnamon stick 5cm cinnamon stick
10 black peppercorns 10 black peppercorns
4 tablespoons sultanas 4 tablespoons sultanas
large oven dish about 6 inches deep large oven dish about 6 inches deep

For the sauce, put the blanched almonds, onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies, and 3 tablespoons of the yogurt in a food processor and blend to a paste. Put the remaining yogurt in a bowl and beat lightly with a fork or a whisk until smooth and creamy. Add the almond/onion pasted along with the cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt, and garam masala, then mix until combined.
Put the lamb on a board then, using a small sharp pointed knife, make deep slashes all over the meat. Transfer to the oven dish, then coat with most of the yogurt sauce, spreading it all over the lamb and into the slashes, making sure it's fully coated. Pour the remaining yogurt sauce over and around the lamb, then cover and chill for 24 hours to marinate.
When you're ready to cook the lamb, remove from the fridge, uncover and leave for 30 minutes to take the chill off it. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
Heat the 6 tablespoons oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and peppercorns. As soon as the cloves swell -- this takes just a few seconds -- pour the hot oil and spices over the leg of lamb.
Cover the dish tightly, either with its own lid or with a large piece of compostable baking paper, then cover the dish again with a sheet of foil to seal. Cook in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Remove the lamb, uncover, then return to the oven for 45 minutes, basting 3 to 4 times with the sauce. Scatter the sultanas and extra almonds over the top of the leg, then roast for 5 to 6 minutes more until the nuts are just golden. Remove from the oven and leave the lamb to rest in the dish for 15 minutes.
Remove the lamb, then put on a warm serving platter. Spoon off all the fat from the top of the sauce and discard, along with the whole spices. Pour the sauce around the leg, then carve and serve with steamed rice and tomato chutney.