House & Garden UK
Ingredients
2kg lamb shoulder lamb
Olive oil
½tsp ground cardamom
1tsp ground cinnamon
½tsp crushed chilli
Salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, unreeled
1 long red chilli
3tbsp chopped fresh mint
Seeds from 1 pomegranate
Crushed or ground sumac
2tbsp pistachios
Method
Heat the oven to 150°C (gas mark 2). Rub the lamb with a little olive oil. Combine the cardamom, cinnamon crushed chillies, salt and pepper and rub over the meat.
Place in a roasting tin and add enough boiling stock or water to come to a depth of 5mm (¼in), then add the garlic and whole long chilli. Cover with foil and cook for about 4 hours.
Check every 30 minutes to make sure the stock hasn't evaporated, adding more water if needed.
Increase the oven temperature to 180°C (gas mark 4). Return the tin to the oven, uncovered, for a further 30 minutes. Remove and allow the lamb to rest for about 20 minutes.
While the lamb is resting, if you wish to make a sauce, reduce the cooking liquid.
Shred the warm meat and arrange on a platter. Stir through the chopped mint and top with the pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle with a little sumac and the pistachios and season to taste.
Tip
Either discard the cooking liquid or reduce it by a third (by boiling it) and serve it accompanying the lamb.
Feature Image: BonAppetit
