Moroccan Mechoui Recipe

Moroccan Mechoui Recipe - Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb or Shoulder:



Mechoui

 Mechoui is traditionally prepared by roasting a whole lamb either on a spit over a fire or in a pit in the ground. The meat is eaten by hand with salt and cumin for dipping.
This mechoui recipe calls for very slowly roasting a leg of lamb or shoulder in the oven until the meat is tender enough to pull off the bone. Slow roasting with a very low temperature can take up to nine hours, depending on the thickness of the cut. Shorter roasting methods are also described below.
Plan to serve mechoui for a special family dinner or when entertaining.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 whole leg of lamb (or shoulder) on the bone.
• 4 tablespoons soft unsalted butter (use smen if desired)
• 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, or pinch of Moroccan yellow colorant
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ------------------------------------------------------------
• salt
• cumin

Preparation:

Trim excess fat from the leg of lamb, and make a dozen or more cuts deep into the meat with the tip of a sharp knife.
Combine the butter with the garlic, spices and olive oil. Spread the mixture over the entire leg of lamb, working some butter into the incisions made with the knife. Place the leg of lamb in a roasting pan, and proceed with one of the roasting methods below.

Very Slow-Roasting Method - 7 1/2 to 9 Hours

This is my preferred method, taught to me by a friend in Marrakesh, who learned it from her Moroccan mother-in-law. You can reduce cooking time to between four and five hours by using a 350° F (180° C) oven temp.
Preheat an oven to 250°F (120/130°C).
Cover the lamb with foil, sealing the edges tightly. Roast the lamb, basting hourly and resealing the foil each time, for 7 to 8 hours, or until the juices run clear and the meat is tender enough to pinch off the bone. Note: Small legs (under 2 kg) may finish cooking in six hours; large legs may take closer to nine hours.
Remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 475° F (240° C). Brown the lamb, basting frequently, for 15 to 30 minutes, or until the meat is well-colored.
Transfer the lamb to a platter and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, the juices can be poured over and around the lamb. Serve dishes of salt and cumin on the side for dipping.

Traditional Roasting Method - 3 to 4 Hours

When shorter on time, this method also works very well, but the meat won't be quite as tender as the above method. The lamb will, however, have more of a crisp crust, which some Moroccans find desirable.
Preheat an oven to 475° F (240° C). Add 1/2 cup of water to the pan, and roast the lamb, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325° F (160° C) and continue roasting the lamb, basting occasionally, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is tender, the juices run clear and the lamb has a dark, crisp crust.
Transfer the lamb to a platter and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, the juices can be poured over and around the lamb. Serve dishes of salt and cumin on the side for dipping.

Fast Roasting Method - 1 to 2 Hours

This is the first way I ever tasted mechoui, as prepared for me by a Moroccan friend. It was part of my early and impressive introduction to Moroccan food.
Preheat an oven to 475° F (240° C). Wrap the exposed lower leg of the lamb in foil to prevent burning. Add 1/2 cup of water and a few tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, and roast the lamb, uncovered, for 1 to 2 hours, basting frequently, until the lamb is well browned and the juices run clear when a knife is inserted deep into the meat. If the meat has browned before the juices are clear, cover the meat with a loose foil to prevent further darkening.
Transfer the lamb to a platter and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. If desired, the juices can be poured over and around the lamb. Serve dishes of salt and cumin on the side for dipping. In Pakistan we call it bakre ki raan ;)

note: please note that this recipe is taken from Internet.

Shami Kabab (kebab) recipe

Authentic Pakistani Shami Kabab recipe


Ingredients: 

Shami Kababs

Mutton/beef: 1 kg
Gram lentil: 1 cup
Garlic: 2 whole bulbs
Ginger: 3 inch piece
Cumin seed: 3 tspn
Whole corriander: 3tspn
Cloves: 6
Black pepper: 1 1/2 tspn
Red chillies (whole) 15-20
Black cardamom: 4
Cinnamon: 1 stick ( 4-5 inch)
Garam masala powder: 1 table spoon
Red chilli powder: 1 tspn
Salt: 2 tspn ( or to taste)
Egg: 1 ( if required add one more)
Onion: 1 large
green chillies: 5
fresh corriander (hara dhania)
Mint

Method: 

1. Pour 5 cups of water in a pan, add mutton, cumin seeds, whole corriander, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, garlic (whole bulbs), whole red chillies, salt, black pepper and start boiling on medium heat.
2. After an hour of boiling add gram lentils and keep boiling until meat is tender and water is absorbed.
3. Seperate and throw the boiled garlic from the mixture.
4. Now chop the dried mixture in chopper.
5. Add fresh green corriander, mint, green chillies, ginger, onion, red chilli poweder, garam masala powder, egg and salt and mix/stirr well.
6. Shape the dough into small round flattened balls or kababs.
7. Fry and enjoy your shami kababs (some people call it kobab as well)!

We serve shami kababs with green raita (mint + fresh corriander + green chilli raita).
Try this recipe this Eid and let me know.

mutton/lamb beef Kaleji (liver) recipe

Here is a special Eid al adha (eid al Azha or baqr/bakra eid) recipe! One of the best treats of Eid-ul-Adha is kaleji. It is usually served at lunch or as a evening snack on eid.

Ingredients:

1- Liver (Kaleji) 1 kg
2- Salt to taste
3- Red chilli 2 - 3 tsps
4- White cumin seeds (roasted, powdered) 1 tsp
5- Lemon juice 1-2
6- Garlic ginger paste 1 tbsp
7- Green chillies 1-2
8- Oil as required
9- Qasoori methi 1 tsp

Method:



1. Heat oil in a wok on medium flame, add liver.

2. Then add garlic and ginger paste..

3. Once the water dries up, add red chilli powder, qasuri methi and cumin powder..

4. Add chopped green chillies and stir.

5. Add lemon juice, and salt..

6. Serve delicious kaleji (qurbani ki khaas recipe, bakre ki kaleji!).


Note: Don't cook kaleji too much otherwise it will start to get harder.
** Above recipe can be used to cook mutton/lamb/beef liver.

Brain Masala (maghaz)

Brain Masala recipe (noted from Chef Zakir's program)

Ingredients:

Brain Masala

Brain (beef 1 or lamb 2)
Tomatoes 2 (medium, peeled and chopped)
Onion 1 (chopped)
Green chilies 3
Ginger, garlic paste 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander
All spices 1/2 tsp
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Red chilli 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 1/4 cup

Method:

Place washed brain in a sauce pan with enough water to barely cover the brain, add a spoon of turmeric, bring to boil, reduce heat for 2 minutes.
Remove brain from water, drain on absorbent paper.
Heat oil in a pan, fry ginger-garlic paste and chopped onions in it after 2 minutes add chopped tomatoes and keep frying for 3 - 5 minutes.
Add spices, 1 cup of water, bring to boil, simmer for two minutes, add brain in it.
Do no stir continuously, just cook it till oil separates from the masala.
Add fresh coriander, thin slices of ginger and chopped green chilies and serve with naan.

Tip: Add little ginger, garlic paste when you put turmeric while boiling the brain., this way you can get rid of bad smell coming out of brain.

Achar Gosht (mutton) recipe

Lamb/chicken Achar Gosht recipe:


Ingredients:

Achar Gosht (lamb pickle curry)

• Mutton/chicken (small pieces) 1 kg 
• Yogurt 1/2 kg
• Onion 2 (medium, sliced)
• Tomato 4 (medium, peeled)
• Ginger & Garlic Paste 1 tbsp
• Red Chilli powder 2 tsp (or to taste)
• Salt - to taste
• Cooking oil 1/2 cup

Grind the below spices:

• 
  
• Kalonji (black seed) 1 tsp
• Saunf 3 tbsp
• Cumin (Zeera)  2 tsp
• Black cumin (black/shahi zeera) 1 tsp
• Fenugreek (methi dana) 2 tsp
• mustard seeds (rai) 2 tsp
• 
  

Method:

 

1. Marinate meat/chicken with ginger, garlic, chilli powder, salt and yogurt for 2 hours.
2. Heat the oil in a pan, add onion and fry till golden brown.
3. Add marinated meat/chicken and fry for 3 - 5 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and fry for 2 minutes.
5. Add grinded spices and salt and keep frying for 1 - 2 minutes.
6. Add sufficient water, cook on low heat till meat is tender.
7. If there is still some water let it dry on high flame and serve achaar gosht.

Pakistani Haleem recipe

Mazedar Haleem recipe:

Ingredients:

Haleem



• Chicken/beef boneless 1 kg
• Whole wheat 1 cup
• Onions 2
• Gram pulse 1/2 cup
• Mung pulse 1/2 cup
• Fried onion 1
• Red lentils 1/2 cup
• Maash pulse 1/2 cup
• Rice 1/2 cup
• Oil 1 cup
• Salt 2 tsp (or to taste)
• Coriander powder 2 tsp
• Nutmeg and mace 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder 3 tsp
• Chaat masala as required
• All spices powder 2 tsp
• All whole spices 2 tbsp
• Julien ginger for garnishing
• Fried onion for garnishing
• Lemons 2-3
• Fresh coriander and mint for garnishing

Method:

1. Mix all pulses, rice and whole wheat then soak them in water for 2 - 4 hours.
2. Roast and Grind all whole spices .
3. In a pan put some oil, add chicken/beef and chilli powder, salt, turmeric, ground all spices and  fry on high flame for five minutes.
4. Add water and cook on low flame for 2 hours or till it becomes tender.
5. In a separate pan boil all the pulses, rice and wheat for 2 hours.
6. Turn the flame off and let meat and pulses/wheat/rice cool.
7. Blend pulses/rice/wheat and meat slightly.
8. Now take a bigger pan and add blended mixture in it and start cooking in low flame for at least 2 hours.
9. Mix well, with back of spoon and a wooden ladle (i.e. give ghota).
10. Add ground nutmeg and mace.
11. Dish out and give tarka.
12. Granish with coriander leaves, mint, fried onion, green chilli, julien ginger and sprinkle chaat masala.

Bakre (lamb/goat) ke paye (Lamb trotters) - Authentic Pakistani recipe

Bakre (lamb/goat) ke paye (Lamb trotters) recipe:


Below is a delicious recipe of lamb trotters (bakre ke paye) which I am cooking since many years at my home and at friend/relatives' places (on demand) as well. This dish is one of Eid al adha's special dish. Before trying this recipe please note that, this is not recommended for any one with high cholesterol (once in a while you may have them ;) ). Any way, enjoy!


Ingredients:


For boiling:

1. Mutton paye/pai (trotters) 6
2. Garlic 1 bunch
3. Salt 1 tsp. (or to taste)
4. Turmeric 1 tsp.
5. Black pepper 1 tsp.
6. Black cardamom 4
7. Cloves 5
8. Cinnamon 1 small stick
9. Cumin 2 tsp.
10. Onion two medium
11. Water five - six glasses

• • • • 
        
• 
  
• 
  
• For Masala:

1. Onion 1 big or 2 small (sliced)
2. Whole Coriander seeds (grounded) 2 tsp.
3. All spices (garam masala) (whole) 2 tbsp.
4. All spice powder 1 tsp.
5. Ginger, garlic paste 2 tsp.
6. Oil 1/4 cup

Preparation method:

1. First add water and boil all the ingredients that are mentioned above for boiling.
2. Boil for at least 3, 4 hours on low flame.
3. Take 1/4 cup oil in a pan and fry onion and all mentioned spices for masala (except all spice powder).
4. Add boiled payas from the stock and keep frying for five - ten minutes.
5. Add three, four cups of water and the stock (which was made after boiling payas).
6. Keep cooking for three, four hours on low flame
7. At the end sprinkle all spice powder and serve with lemon and naans.