Roast goat leg or “Sikandri Raan”, named after Alexander the Great is a popular dish for celebrations in Southeast Asia. A centuries-old cooking method called Dumpukht is the traditional way of cooking goat meat. “Dum” means slow cooking and “Pukht” meaning the cooking process.
CHOOSING YOUR MEAT
One of the key steps to a good goat leg roast is your choice of cut. As I’ve mentioned in a few other recipes on my blog, for example, my Nihari, buying the right meat is the key element in a slow-cooker recipe.
PREPARING THE MARINADE
Marinating the meat properly to ensure that it is adequately seasoned and tenderized is a vital part of cooking this recipe. You can see in the picture above that I’ve made a few slanted cuts in the leg. This allows the marinade to really seep in well and flavor the meat.
SEARING THE ROAST
Now that your meat is well marinated, you must sear it in very hot oil to seal in the juices. You need a good bit of oil for this to be done properly but can discard the excess amount later.
I use about 2 cups of oil in order to have a thin layer on the entire bottom of my pot. Once the oil is well-heated remove 1 Raan (I was cooking 2 here) at a time and place it in the fat.
Let it sizzle for a good 5-10 minutes and then flip carefully. After the second side is done remove the meat from the pot and repeat with the other goat leg. The pictures below illustrate what the meat should look like once seared.
SLOW COOKING THE MEAT
Once the meat is seared you can remove the excess oil and add the goat back to the pot. Fill the pot with the remaining marinade and water till halfway full. Seal tightly with foil and cover with a lid, cooking on high for about 10 minutes. At this point, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3 hours before checking on the meat.
After the 3 hour mark insert a knife in the meat to gauge how well cooked it is. I usually need to cook mine for another hour at least but do so uncovered so as to dry some of the liquid. If you still have too much liquid, remove the meat as shown below. You want the meat to fall off the bone but not become mushy, so this allows you to dry the liquid and add the meat back later.
At this point, I peel and cut some potatoes into quarters and cook them in this marinade. This gives them all that flavor from the yogurt and spices, making for a very flavorful side. Once the potatoes are done, I remove them from the pot and continue to thicken the liquid. I use the thick gravy as a drizzle on my meat and potatoes once I plate them to prevent the roast from getting dry.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 Tbsp Ginger Crushed
• 2 Tbsp Garlic Minced
• 4 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 Whole Onion Sliced
• 2 Cups Yogurt Full Fat
• 1 Small Can Tomato Paste
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 tsp Red Chili Powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 2 tsp Coriander
• 4 tsp Salt
• 4 tsp Green Chilies Serrano
• 2 pieces Mace
• 2-inch Cinamon Stick
• 2 pieces Star Anise
• 5 pieces Cardamom
• 2 tsp Fennel
• 4 whole Bay Leaves
• 1 Cup Cilantro
• 2 Cups Cooking Oil
• 12 Cups Water
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Slice and fry the onion till it’s dark brown and remove from the oil.
2. Temper the Mace, Cinnamon, Star Anise, Cardamom, Fennel, and Bay Leaves and then grind.
3. Add all of the ingredients except the oil and water to a food processor and blend well.
4. Rub generously into the meat to get it into all the nooks and crannies and refrigerate overnight.
5. Remove the meat from the fridge for an hour before cooking so that it is at room temperature before you cook it.
6. Sear the meat well on both sides and then add the remaining marinade and water
7. Cover tightly with foil and cook on medium heat for 3-4 hours till meat is tender.
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About Nosheen: She graduated from Southeastern University and completed her high school at Karachi Grammar School. She later worked at Bank of America and ANZ Grindlays Bank. She has also served voluntarily for several boards, including Treasurer of an Elementary School Board, Second Vice President of an Elementary School Board, Treasurer of a Middle School Board, and On the board of a Non-Profit (O.S.E.F-Ocean Springs Education Foundation)
For more interesting recipes from Nosheen, watch this space.