Omani Shuwa

Ingredients

• 2.5 kg bone-in lamb shoulder
• 2 tbsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp cloves
• 8 green cardamom pods
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 dried limes
• 2 tbsp chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp salt
• 10 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 60 ml vegetable oil
• 3 large banana leaves
• 400 g basmati rice
• 1 large pinch saffron threads
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp salt for the rice
• 700 ml water for the rice
• Pomegranate seeds and coriander leaves, to serve

Before you cook

• Toast the cumin seeds, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks in a dry pan for 2 minutes until fragrant, then grind them to a fine powder with the dried limes.
• Pound the garlic cloves to a paste with a little salt.
• Score the lamb shoulder deeply all over, cutting right down towards the bone in several places.
• Soften the banana leaves by passing them briefly over a gas flame or dipping them in boiling water until they turn glossy and pliable.

Steps

1. Mix the ground spice powder with the chilli flakes, turmeric, salt, garlic paste, vinegar, brown sugar and oil to make a thick dark paste.
2. Rub the paste into the lamb, forcing it deep into every cut you made, and coat the outside completely.
3. Wrap the lamb tightly in two layers of banana leaf and tie the parcel closed with kitchen string.
4. Refrigerate the parcel for at least 24 hours, and up to 48 if you have time.
5. Take the lamb out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking so it loses its chill.
6. Heat the oven to 140C.
7. Sit the wrapped parcel in a deep roasting tin and pour 500 ml of water into the tin around it.
8. Cover the whole tin with a double layer of foil, crimped hard against the rim so no steam escapes.
9. Roast for 5 hours, checking once at the halfway point that the tin has not run dry and topping up with hot water if it has.
10. Rinse the basmati until the water runs clear, then soak it for 20 minutes and drain.
11. Crush the saffron and steep it in 3 tablespoons of hot water.
12. Melt the ghee in a pot, add the drained rice and stir for 2 minutes to coat the grains.
13. Pour in 700 ml of water with the salt, bring it to a boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes.
14. Drizzle the saffron water over the rice, replace the lid and leave it off the heat for 10 minutes.
15. Lift the lamb parcel onto a board and cut the string, opening the leaves carefully so the trapped steam escapes away from you.
16. Pull the meat off the bone in large pieces with two forks, turning it through the spiced juices left in the leaves.
17. Fluff the saffron rice onto a large platter and pile the shuwa on top.
18. Scatter with pomegranate seeds and coriander and take the platter to the table whole.