Recipe for Shahi Raan
What is unique about this recipe?
A very rich recipe mostly suited for a special occasion and serves about 5-6 heads. Naan bread or Flavoured rice is best with Shahi Raan. Spiced up Raan roast or leg roast of the lamb left in a rich creamy gravy, with a burst of aroma and flavors. This is another very famous recipe from the home kitchens of Hyderabad, India.
‘Raan’ in Indian refers to Lamb Leg in this recipe.
Ingredients for Shahi Raan
Lamb leg – 1 kg -1.5 kg washed and slit with deep cuts made to better absorb the marinade
Onions- 2 large, finely chopped
Oil- 1 cup
Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
Ginger – Garlic paste – 2 teaspoons
Yogurt – 1/4 cup (beaten)
Meat tenderizer powder – 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Cream – 1 cup or
Cashew nuts – 10-12
Chirongi – 2 teaspoons
Khud khus – 1 teaspoon
Watermelon seeds – 2 teaspoons
Green chilies – 2-3, slit midway horizontally
Coriander – 1 cup finely chopped
Method
Marination of the Raan or Lamb Leg Piece-
To make the flavors get well absorbed into the leg piece, I would recommend pre- marinating the Raan (lamb leg) night before the actual cooking is carried out
For the marination, take a large bowl and add the turmeric, ginger- garlic paste, salt, chili powder, meat tenderizer, coriander and 2 teaspoons of yogurt and mix the ingredients well with your hands to get a uniform paste
A natural alternative to meat tenderizer would be the use of mashed papaya which was popularly used in older times by the Nizami khansamas ( the nizams chefs) for cooking the meat
Apply this paste all over the leg piece and let the marinated leg to rest for about 5-6 hours ( For best results leave the marinated leg overnight in the refrigerator)
At the end of the marination period, place a large flat bottomed bhagona (bigger vessel) on medium flame, drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil and leave the marinated leg into the oil
Let the raan cook on low flame for 40-45 minutes by covering the vessel with a lid until it turns tender
When the raan meat is halfway done, flip it gently with the help of a slotted flat spatula to let the other half cook
In the meantime, as the raan get cooked we could start preparing the curry base for the shahi raan
Preparing the curry base for the Raan
Dry roast the Chirongi, khus khus, watermelon seeds and cashews on low flame and grind the mixture to a fine paste
In a medium pan or vessel, take 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the onions till light golden brown
Once the onions are fried add 1/2 teaspoon each of turmeric, salt, ginger -garlic paste and chili powder, 1 cup of yogurt, coriander and the ground paste ( alternatively cream can be used instead) and stir well
Let this gravy simmer on low flame for 10-15 minutes until the oil starts to rise to the top
Once the gravy gets cooked, pour it entirely onto the raan. Let the raan get mixed in well into the gravy
Leave it to cook on low flame for 10-15 more minutes
Just before turning off the flame drizzle 2 teaspoons of lemon juice onto the gravy and mix well
Serve the raan in a flat platter and garnish it with fresh coriander
