Bharwaan Dum Ki Raan

FORCEFULLY rub, as in massage, the lamb leg, inside and out, with salt. Repeat the process with raw papaya paste, ginger paste and garlic paste and finally with vinegar. (Each of these ingredients should be rubbed separately and not as a mixture.) Reserve for one-and-a-half hours.

Put the chicken mince in a food processor or blender, add cheese, pulse for a few seconds. Add cream in a steady stream and pulse with little bursts until a fine mousse is obtained. Remove to a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Pry open the pockets and stuff the filling into the leg. Using the trussing needle and string, stitch the open ends. Bind the stuffed leg with string to retain the shape whilst cooking. Baste with butter and prick with a needle.

Forcefully rub, as in massage, the lamb leg with the red chiles, followed by oil. Arrange the leg in a roasting tray, add the remaining ingredients and enough water to cover the leg. Braise in a pre-heated oven (275O F) for two hours. Remove and discard the liqueur. Rub again with oil and keep aside.

Roast each of the ingredients for the cashew nut paste separately on a medium hot tawa, and grind to a smooth paste adding about 1 1/4 cups water.

Heat ghee in a large flat pan. Season with cardamom, black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf. Stir over medium heat until the green cardamom changes color. Add ginger paste and garlic paste, stir over medium heat until the moisture evaporates. Lower the heat, add cashew nut paste and stir-fry until the ghee floats on top (sprinkling small quantities of stock to prevent sticking). Add chile powder. Stir for a few seconds, remove the pan from heat, stir in the curd and return the pan to heat. Add fried onions and stir-fry until the ghee floats on top. Add the braised raan, and the remaining stock, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the leg and snip off the strings. Pass the gravy through a fine mesh sieve into a separate saucepan. Return the gravy to heat, add the leg, mint leaves, coriander leaves and salt. Bring it to a boil, lower the heat, add patthar ke phool powder, rose petal powder and saffron. Simmer until the gravy is of ketchup consistency. Remove and adjust the seasoning.

To serve: Arrange the leg on a serving dish, pour the gravy over and serve hot.