Tandoori leg of lamb is a dish that packs a punch of flavors and aromas, originating from the vibrant culinary landscape of India.

It’s a dish that combines tender lamb with a bold marinade, resulting in a mouthwatering experience that’s sure to impress your taste buds.

While the name might sound intimidating, fear not, as I’m here to guide you through the process step by step.

Expert Tip: For a smoky flavor reminiscent of a traditional tandoor, add a few wood chips to your oven while roasting the lamb.

Ingredients

Lamb leg: The lamb leg provides succulent meat that absorbs the flavors of the marinade beautifully.

Yoghurt: Adds creaminess to the marinade while also tenderizing the meat.

Olive Oil: Enhances the richness of the marinade and helps in achieving a juicy texture.

Garlic Paste and Ginger Paste: Infuses the lamb with aromatic flavors that are quintessential to Indian cuisine.

Spices: A blend of Kashmiri chilli, chilli powder, salt, paprika, cumin powder, coriander powder, black pepper, turmeric powder (haldi), and lemon juice creates a complex and vibrant marinade, elevating the taste of the dish to new heights.

Vegetables: Potatoes, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, bell pepper, and carrots add color, texture, and nutritional value to the dish, complementing the bold flavors of the tandoori lamb.

Extras: Additional olive oil, salt, and black pepper are used to season the vegetables, enhancing their natural flavors during roasting.

Expert Tip: For added depth of flavor, toast whole spices such as cumin and coriander seeds before grinding them for the marinade.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve the Tandoori Leg of Lamb hot, garnished with freshly chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice for an extra burst of freshness.
• Accompany the dish with fluffy basmati rice or warm naan bread to soak up the flavorful juices.
• Pair with a cooling cucumber raita or tangy mint chutney to balance out the spices and add a refreshing element to the meal.

Expert Tip: Allow the lamb to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before roasting to ensure even cooking and juiciness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I marinate the lamb overnight?

Yes, marinating the lamb overnight allows the flavors to penetrate deeper, resulting in a more intense and flavorful dish.

Can I substitute the lamb with another protein?

While the marinade works wonderfully with lamb, you can experiment with other proteins such as chicken or paneer for a delicious variation.

How do I know when the lamb is cooked through?

The lamb is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) for medium-rare or 160°F (71°C) for medium. Use a meat thermometer to ensure accurate cooking.

Can I freeze the marinated lamb?

Yes, you can freeze the marinated lamb for up to three months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.

Can I adjust the spice level of the marinade?

Absolutely! Feel free to adjust the amount of chili powder and Kashmiri chili according to your spice preference. You can also add a dollop of yogurt to mellow out the heat.

Check Out These Other Recipes

Here are some more recipes for you to enjoy! If you my recipes don’t forget to rate and leave a comment.

• Yoghurt Chicken Legs
• Chicken Tandoori
• Harissa Lamb
• Tandoori Lamb Chops
• Grilled Lamb Chops

If you have any recipe suggestions, please do not hesitate to ask me. A great way to stay in contact with me is through Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Don’t forget to tag me @CookwithNabeela in your recipe photos!

Tandoori Lamb Leg

by Nabeela Kauser

A dinner recipe that consists of a whole leg of lamb covered in a delicious blend of fragrant spices and then oven-roasted until tender and succulent. This is the next showstopper for Sunday dinner with a twist.

5 from 93 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Marination Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Indian, Pakistani

Servings 6

Calories 388 kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

Marinade

• ▢ 1 Lamb leg
• ▢ 150 g Yoghurt
• ▢ 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• ▢ 1 tbsp Garlic Paste
• ▢ 1 tbsp Ginger Paste
• ▢ 1 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli
• ▢ 1 tbsp Chilli Powder
• ▢ 1 tbsp Salt
• ▢ 1 tbsp Paprika
• ▢ 1 tbsp Cumin Powder
• ▢ 1 tbsp Coriander Powder
• ▢ 1 tbsp Black Pepper
• ▢ 1 tbsp Turmeric Powder Haldi
• ▢ 1 tbsp Lemon Juice

Vegetables

• ▢ Potatoes
• ▢ Cherry Tomatoes
• ▢ Broccoli
• ▢ Bell Pepper
• ▢ Carrots

Extras

• ▢ Olive Oil
• ▢ Salt
• ▢ Black Pepper

Instructions

• In a large bowl add all the wet and dry ingredients together to make the marinade then whisk until well combined
• Place the lamb leg onto a roasting tray lined with foil and use a knife to cut several deep slashes into the leg of the lamb – this will ensure that the lamb leg is cooked through and evenly
• Add half of the marinade onto one side of the lamb and rub the mixture all over the lamb, including inside the cuts then flip the lamb over and add the remaining mixture and repeat the same process – it is very important that the masala is spread everywhere to ensure maximum flavour then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, for best results try to leave it for 24 hours
• Cover the lamb with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) gas mark 4 for 2 hours – this will depend on the exact size of leg of lamb that is used, and it is important that you adjust the cooking time as necessary, as a rule the cooking time is approximately 25 mins per 500g of lamb
• Remove the foil and add your desired vegetables around the leg of lamb – depending on personal preference the vegetables can be altered but ensure that the vegetables are all approximately equal size to ensure that they are evenly cooked
• Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and add a pinch of salt and black pepper then mix the vegetables to ensure that everything is mixed evenly and well combined
• Flip the lamb leg over and increase the oven temperature to 200°C (400°F) gas mark 6 and cook for a further 30 minutes until the vegetables are all roasted and cooked through
• Allow the leg of lamb to rest for at least 20 minutes before serving then enjoy!

Video

Notes

Nutritional facts:

The provision of nutritional information is done merely as a courtesy and should not be taken as a guarantee.

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 51gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 156mgSodium: 1370mgPotassium: 866mgFibre: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 882IUVitamin C: 4mgVitamin D: 0.02µgCalcium: 81mgIron: 6mg

Keyword Food, Lamb, Leg of Lamb, Recipe, Roast Dinner, Spicy, Tandoori

Tried this recipe?Mention @CookwithNabeela or tag #CookwithNabeela!