Tandoori leg of goat

Chef and caterer Sarah Dougall says, “Tandoori marinade makes a delicious flavour for a succulent leg of goat. This recipe is excellent cooked slowly on a barbecue, but of course just as tasty cooked in the oven. The goat is best marinated for 12 hours but can be left for as little as two hours.”

• serves

  6

• cook

  1 hour

Ingredients

1 leg of goat (1-1.5kg), butterflied (ask your butcher to remove the bone or see below)*

For the marinade

250g natural yoghurt

1 large red chilli, finely chopped

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp ground fenugreek

1/2 tsp ground chilli

2 teaspoons smoked (pimenton) or sweet paprika

1 tbsp of tomato paste

Juice of 1 lemon

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

3 cm ginger, peeled and chopped

3 tablespoon coriander finely chopped

1 tbsp honey

Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the cucumber raita

1/2 large cucumber, washed and grated

5 tablespoons yoghurt

2 tablespoon chopped mint leaves

1 pinch of chilli powder

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

1 teaspoon honey

Maldon salt or a similar flake salt

Instructions

To serve

Serve with pilau or steamed rice, pappadums, shallow fried in hot oil or naan bread cut into wedges and heated in the oven or coated with a little oil and cooked on a grill pan or barbecue

coriander, to garnish

mango chutney (optional)

To marinate

Pierce the goat all over with a small knife. Combine all the marinade ingredients until combined. Spread over the lamb and massage well into the meat. Place on a plate or tray, cover and place in the refrigerator. Leave to marinate for at least 2 hours before cooking.

To barbecue

Preheat a barbecue to medium, with a drip pan in the centre. Place the goat on the hot grill above the drip pan and cover with a lid. After 30 minutes turn goat over and cook for a further 15-30 minutes. If cooking on a gas barbecue you can place the goat in an oiled tray and place on a rack, cover and leave to cook as above.

To cook in an oven

Place the goat in a lightly oiled roasting tray and roast in an oven preheated to 220°C for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 200°C and leave the lamb to cook 15-30 minutes (dependent on its weight and how well you like it cooked), coat with extra marinade regularly.

When cooked remove from the barbecue or oven and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Cucumber raita

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.

To serve

Serve the goat with cucumber raita, rice, and poppadums or naan bread. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with mango chutney (optional).

To butterfly goat

To remove the bone from the goat, use a sharp knife preferably a butcher’s knife and cut from the knuckle end down to the less fleshy part of the leg and gradually remove the three bones. Once the bones are removed, slice into the thick parts of the goat so that it lies flat. This takes a little practice but after a few goes you will find it’s far easier than you’d think.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.