Omani Style Lamb Recipes

OMANI SHUWA

Steps:

• Wash lamb shanks and make big and deep gashes. This is very important if you want a flavorful spicy meat.
• Mix all the ingredients except lamb to a paste.
• Rub this spice paste on to the lamb and into the gashes. Use your fingers to rub the meat as deep as you can.
• Take a baking dish and place a banana leaf in it. Place the lamb on the leaf and pour any remaining spice mixture over it.
• Fold the banana leaf over the lamb to cover the lamb and it should look like a packet. Cover the baking dish and marinate in the refrigerate overnight or 24 - 48 hours.
• Remove marinated lamb from the fridge and leave it on the countertop for 30 - 60 minutes before cooking, to bring it to room temperature. This is an optional.
• Preheat the oven to 250F and place the baking dish in the oven. Do not forget to remove the cover/lid of the baking dish.
• Bake lamb wrapped in banana leaf for 3 hours or until the meat is tender. Turn the meat around very 1 - 1 ½ hours.
• It took 3 hours in my oven and the meat was tender. Depending on the size and thickness of the meat, one may have to cook it longer.
• Change the oven temperature to 350 F, open the banana wrap and cook for another 20 minutes until the meat is dark brown.
• After cooking for 3 hours, banana wrap will dry up and will begin to fall apart. I left the leaf in the dish itself and opened /removed the leaf on the top before roasting it at 350 F.
• Remove from oven and let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
• I served it with flavored rice.

OMANI LAMB KABOULI

Steps:

• To make the Omani spice paste:.
• Combine all ingredients in an electric food processor and process until a thick paste is formed, adding more vinegar if necessary. Keep aside.
• Put lamb pieces and water in a large pot, bring to boil and remove froth as it appears. Add the cinnamon sticks, and all whole spices. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1½ hours or until the meat becomes tender. Remove lamb pieces, put them in a bowl and set aside. Drain the stock and set aside.
• Cook the extra water and onion in a large sauce pan with occasional stirring for 5 minutes or until water is steamed and the onions become tender.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the ghee (reserve 2 tablespoons) and stir for another 3 minutes or until onions become golden in color. Add garlic, raisins, chickpeas, 1 tablespoon of Omani mixed spices (reserve 3 tablespoons), saffron strands and rose water, stir for 1 minutes then set aside.
• In a large pot put 4½ cups of drained stock; add more water if stock is not enough. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee, the remaining 3 tablespoons of Omani mixed spices, the Bouillon cubes and rice.
• Bring to boil with occasional stirring, cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until rice is half cooked, add the boiled lamb pieces on top of the rice, cover and cook on low heat again for another 10-15 minutes or until rice is cooked.
• Serve the rice and lamb in plate topped with the onion mixture.

OMANI-STYLE LAMB

Steps:

• Rub lamb with spices. Set aside for an hour or so.
• Heat oil over medium heat in a lidded kettle large enough to hold lamb in 2 layers. In batches, brown lamb on all sides.
• Discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Add dates, lemon juice, vinegar and salt and reduce by half. Arrange lamb pieces in 2 layers. Set lid ajar slightly and braise lamb over a medium-low flame for about an hour, turning meat from time to time while stirring date mixture to prevent scorching. (Add water as needed.) Cook until lamb is tender, testing it with a fork.
• The lamb is ready when it begins to fall from the bone.