Preparation Time : over night marination + 40 minutes
Cooking Time : 2 hours 40 minutes
Serving : 8 to 10 members
Description
Raan as known to the world but at home we call it thodai kari meaning thigh meat in tamil this dish came to our family through my aunt meher nisha (dad’s younger brother’s wife) who hails from a place called pudhukottai in tamilnadu . We make this dish mainly after eid as we always have a lot of meet left over and is a terrific impressive dish best served at family style feasts . I urge you all to try this show stopper at your homes at least once . time consuming dish but good things come to those who wait . The beautifully caramelised top with the revealing fatty bits of meat melting in your mouth full of exotic blends is to die for and is a sure fire crowd pleasure . pudhukottai always brings memories of a hoilday i had when i was a kid . Huge bungalows under one compound grand spread of home cooked comfort food on the table every meal . Each house crowded with herds of hearty people in all age groups . All this together offers warmth and a sense of well being . I still remember , I hid myself in a store room not wanting to leave puthukottai . My aunt had to literately pull and drag me into the car to leave to coimbatore . I didn’t say good bye instead said , i will be back .
Ingredients
Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Lamb thigh( back thigh full with the leg ,with out fat and wedged , draw lines or slit through out ) | 2 1/2 kg |
| Cumin powder | 2 tablespoons |
| Onion | 1 1/4 kg ground |
| Tomato | 1 kg ground |
| Garlic paste | 150 grams |
| Ginger paste | 150 grams |
| Cinnamon , clove , cardamom | 10 grams each |
| Pepper powder | 10 grams |
| Curd | 1/4 litre |
| Ghee | 2 cups |
| Turmeric powder | 4 teaspoons |
| Chilli powder | 4 tablespoons or to taste |
| Salt | to taste |
| Lime juice | 1 1/2 limes |
| Raw papaya ground | 6 small papayas (peeled and deseeded ) |
Marination of the thigh the day before
- Mix ground raw papaya with salt to taste and 1 teaspoon turmeric powder . Apply it all over the lamb thigh and set aside in the refrigerator over night .
Method the next day
- Wash the marinated meat cleanly making sure no papaya paste is stuck to the lamb thigh . Drain and set aside .
- Heat a huge heavy bottomed vessel with a lid making sure your lamb thigh fits in . Pour ghee , once hot add cinnamon , cloves and cardamom . Once they crackle add the ginger and garlic paste and fry to crisp .
- Top it with the ground onion paste and fry till the raw smell evaporates and oil separates . Add the tomato purée and keep stirring till oil floats on top .
- Add curd , pepper powder , cumin powder and salt to taste ( be careful with the salt as we have marinated the meat with salt already ) .
- Add the lamb thigh and keep turning the thigh over every 5 minutes once for 15 minutes making sure not to burn the bottom and the colour of the lamb thigh changes . Add hot water just enough to cover the lamb thigh .
- Cover and cook for TWO HOURS in low heat until the thigh is cooked through and falls apart from the bones . Make sure not to burn the bottom and the masala .
- Keep turning the thigh every twenty minutes once . Once the thigh is cooked and the water had reduced to a saucy gravy consistency , add lime juice and mix well . Taste and adjust .
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with any thing and every thing .
Note
- You can follow the same process of the entire recipe and then transfer to a baking tray , that fits the lamb thigh with the water and masala .
- Cover loosely with a foil paper and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit for one hour and then reduce the heat to 275 degree
- Fahrenheit and bake again without the foil for another one hour , turning sides every 1/2 an hour once .
