The ultimate formal banquet in Kashmir is the royal wazwan, a multiple-course meal that is the pride of Kashimiri cuisine and culture. Preparing the wazwan is considered nothing short of a culinary art form. The traditional 36-course meal focuses predominantly on meat, with a few vegetarian dishes thrown in. The Tabaz Maaz, or Kashmiri Lamb Ribs, is one of the dishes that typically feature on a wazwan menu. The ribs are marinated overnight to allow the meat to soften and are then braised in saffron milk until tender. At Rooh, San Francisco, we make this signature dish with Californian Superior lamb riblets and Indian spices, using French braising techniques.

  • Serves

    4

  • Cook Time

    03 h 00 m

    Plus overnight marination

Ingredients

For Lamb Ribs

  • 1 kg lamb ribs
  • 2 l ghee
  • 4 cups milk
  • 2 tbsp yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds, ground
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 4 Indian green chillies, slit
  • 4 green cardamom pods
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 black cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick, two-inch long
  • 1 pinch of saffron

For Apricot Jalapeno Glaze

  • 500 gm dried apricot
  • 2 cups orange juice
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 tsp red chilli
  • 4 green chillies
  • 4 jalapenos, deseeded and finely chopped
  • Salt to taste

For Radish Chutney

  • 1 cup finely grated radish
  • 2 tbsp crème fraiche
  • 1 tsp freshly crushed black pepper
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp salt

Preparation

For Lamb Ribs

  1. Combine turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, fennel seed powder, cloves, ground ginger, salt, and yoghurt in a large bowl. Add the lamb ribs and mix well.
  2. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  3. When you are ready to cook, place marinated ribs in a braising pan with the milk, a pinch of saffron, 4 green chillies and enough cold water to just cover the ribs.
  4. Seal the braising pot with aluminium foil, and place in a pre-heated oven. Cook at 160 degree Celsius for 2 hours or until ribs are tender.
  5. Remove the ribs and set aside to dry slightly.
  6. Heat ghee in a large pan over medium heat, to 160 degree Celsius.
  7. Working in batches, fry the ribs for 2 minutes or until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

For Apricot Jalapeno Glaze

  1. Put all the ingredients, except the jalapeno, in a sauce pot and simmer for 30 minutes or until the apricots turn soft.
  2. Now blend the apricot mixture into a fine paste. Pass through a fine strainer.
  3. Make sure the apricot paste has a glaze -like consistency. If need be, add little hot water to the paste.

For Radish Chutney

  1. Squeeze out the water from the grated radish, and mix it with all the other ingredients to form a creamy chutney.

To Serve

  1. In the final stage, lace the lamb ribs with apricot glaze.
  2. Sprinkle the finely chopped jalapeño on top and roast for 4 minutes in a pre-heated Rational oven at 180 degree Celsius.
  3. Serve the ribs hot with radish chutney and more apricot glaze on the side.

Written by

Sujan Sarkar

The Executive Chef and Partner of two of the most exciting modern Indian restaurant brands in the United States – Rooh and the recently opened Baar Baar – Sujan Sarkar is an award-winning chef whose culinary ingenuity has taken modern Indian cuisine to new heights. He has worked in some of the most distinguished kitchens and under some of the most illustrious chefs, including Galvin at Windows; Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen; Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef Peter Tempelhoff; Freemasons at Wiswell; Viajante; and Cipriani. He has opened iconic restaurants, such as Almada in Mayfair, a place that became an exclusive hideout for celebrities. Rooh recently opened doors in New Delhi, Chicago and in Columbus.

See more by Sujan Sarkar