This Indian Kashmiri Style Leg of Lamb is a delightful way to prepare lamb that will transform your dining experience. Your kitchen will be filled with aromatic spices as this fragrant lamb roasts to perfection. Best of all, while it tastes like you spent countless hours crafting a gourmet meal, this dish requires surprisingly little active preparation time.
The secret lies in the overnight marination, where a blend of exotic spices, tangy yogurt, and crunchy nuts infuses the lamb with incredible depth of flavor. When your guests take their first bite of this tender, succulent lamb with its complex flavor profile, they’ll be convinced you’ve become a gourmet chef overnight!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Impressive presentation perfect for special occasions and dinner parties
- Make-ahead convenience – most of the work happens during marination
- Unique flavor profile combining warm spices, nuts, and honey
- Melt-in-your-mouth texture from the long, slow cooking process
- Exotic taste that transports you to Kashmir without leaving your kitchen
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Lamb:
- 5-pound leg of lamb – The star of the dish, becomes remarkably tender through marination and slow roasting
For the Spice Blend:
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice – Adds brightness and helps tenderize the meat
- 1 tablespoon peeled, grated fresh ginger – Provides warmth and aromatic quality
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed in a press – Creates a foundational savory base
- 1 teaspoon salt – Enhances all the other flavors
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin – Contributes earthy, warm notes
- 1 teaspoon turmeric – Adds golden color and subtle flavor
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon – Brings sweet-spicy warmth
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom – Offers distinctive floral and spicy notes
- 1/2 teaspoon pure chili powder – Provides gentle heat
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves – Adds deep, aromatic sweetness
For the Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 cup plain yogurt (not fat-free) – Creates a creamy marinade that tenderizes the meat
- 2 tablespoons blanched slivered almonds – Adds texture and nutty flavor
- 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios – Brings color and another dimension of nuttiness
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric – Enhances color and provides earthy undertones
- 1 tablespoon honey – Balances the spices with subtle sweetness
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the Lamb
- Remove any excess fat from the leg of lamb.
- Using the point of a sharp knife, make deep slits all over the leg.
- Place the prepared lamb in a large non-reactive dish (glass or ceramic works best).
Create the Spice Mixture
- In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, grated ginger, crushed garlic, salt, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, chili powder, and ground cloves.
- Mix thoroughly until a paste forms.
- Rub this spice mixture all over the lamb, making sure to press it into the slits you created.
Make the Yogurt Sauce
- In a food processor or blender, thoroughly blend the yogurt, slivered almonds, chopped pistachios, and turmeric until smooth.
- Spread this yogurt mixture evenly over the lamb, covering it completely.
- Drizzle the honey over the coated lamb.
Marinate
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap or a lid.
- Refrigerate for 24 hours, turning the lamb occasionally to ensure even marination.
Roast the Lamb
- Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Transfer the marinated lamb to a roasting pan.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
- Roast at 450°F for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
- Continue cooking for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until the lamb is meltingly tender.
- Uncover the lamb for the last 15 minutes of cooking if you want a more caramelized exterior.
Serve
- If desired, collect the pan juices to serve alongside the lamb.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Love lamb? Try these recipes!
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- Honey Baked Ham
- NY Strip Roast
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- Perfect Roast Beef
- Ribeye Roast
- Roast Chicken
Check out more of the best meat recipes here on CopyKat!
Indian Kashmiri Style Leg of Lamb
Ingredients
- 5 pound leg of lamb
Spice Blend
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed in a press
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoons turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon pure chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Yogurt Marinade
- 1 cup plain yogurt fat-free is not recommended
- 2 tablespoons blanched slivered almonds
- 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
- 1 tablespoons ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Prepare the lamb: Remove any excess fat from the lamb. Using the point of a sharp knife, make deep slits all over the leg. Place the lamb in a large non-reactive dish.
- Prepare the lamb rub: Combine all the spice blend ingredients in a small bowl. Rub over the lamb, pressing it into the slits.
- Marinate the lamb: In a food processor or blender, thoroughly blend the yogurt, nuts, and turmeric. Spread over the lamb. Drizzle the honey over the lamb, cover, and marinate for 1 day in the refrigerator, turning occasionally.
- Roast the lamb: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Transfer the lamb to a roasting pan, cover (aluminum foil is fine), and cook for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and cook for 1 3/4 hours more, or until meltingly tender. Uncover and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Pro Tips for Perfect Kashmiri Lamb
- Quality matters: Choose a high-quality leg of lamb with good marbling for the best results.
- Don’t rush the marination: The full 24 hours allows the spices and yogurt to properly tenderize and flavor the meat.
- Deep slits are key: Make sure your knife cuts are deep enough to allow the marinade to penetrate well into the meat.
- Temperature gauge: For perfect doneness, use a meat thermometer. For medium-rare, aim for 130-135°F (55-57°C) after resting.
- Resting period: Don’t skip the resting time before carving, as this allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
I’m on a roll with your CopyKat recipes this Winter Holiday Season. This will be our New Year’s Day supper. Not a worry in the world that this will be a 5 star as well. Our Leg of Lamb is 8 + lbs. I will cook till it reaches 125 degrees internal and then cover with bath towels in an ice chest till it gets to 130 degrees internal. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I hope you have a fabulous New Year! We are enjoying a lot of left overs from our New Year’s Eve party.
Very tasty and spicy dish I tried it two times all of my family member also loved it ,thanks for sharing with us.But I observed that it’s a time consuming dish.
This is best ever Roasted Lamb recipe..A MUST TO TRY IT !!!
I am glad you liked the recipe.
I made this but did a sauce with the drippings – it was an absolute hit! I will make it again soon.
This is totally delicious! I made it with a cheap pork shoulder roast and marinated it for 2 days before cooking. I served it with couscous, garbonzos cooked in roasted vegis and romaine salad with feta. Everyone loved it.