Recipe provided by | Chef/Owner Tiffani Faison

Servings: 12-16

INGREDIENTS

Braised Lamb:

3 tablespoons fennel seed

2 tablespoons yellow mustard seed

2 tablespoons coriander seed

2 tablespoons cumin

4 to 6 pounds American Lamb shoulder, bone-in or boneless

1/4 cup kosher salt

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 to 3 medium Spanish onion, julienned

1 garlic head, split in half widthwise

2 to 3 ginger root, peeled and cut into 3-inch chunks

1 cup sherry wine

1-1/4 gallons chicken stock

Roti Dough:

2-1/2 cups, plus more bread flour

1 teaspoon  kosher salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup warm water

Dipping Sauce:

2 cups cilantro leaves

2 cups  mint leaves

1/2 each shallot

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons palm sugar simple syrup (or agave nectar)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 cups Greek yogurt

1/4 cup diced cucumbers, skin on, seeded

1/4 cup  diced yu choy stems (or celery)

1 cup clarified butter

DIRECTIONS

METHOD:

For the Braised Lamb: In a sauté pan over medium-low heat, combine and toast fennel seed, yellow mustard seed, coriander seed and cumin.

Trim lamb shoulder of excess fat. Sprinkle kosher salt evenly over lamb. In a large braising pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sear lamb on all sides until golden brown; remove from pan.

In the same pan, add onions, garlic (cut side down) and ginger, allowing to brown for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring once to begin even caramelization of onions and ginger. Add wine to deglaze. Turn off heat. Place lamb, toasted spices and stock in pot. Cover and place in 350ºF oven for 2-1/2 to 3 hours, or until lamb is fall-off-the-bone tender.

Remove from oven and allow lamb to cool in liquid. Once cooled to room temperature (2 to 3 hours, or overnight in refrigeration), remove lamb shoulder. Strain braising liquid. In a medium sauce pot, reduce liquid by half or until it coats the back of a spoon.

Shred lamb meat and fold it back into the liquid. Once cool to the touch, form 4 even balls with the lamb mix; wrap tightly with plastic wrap and pat into thick discs. Place in refrigerator.

For the Roti Dough: In a medium mixing bowl, add flour and kosher salt. With a fork, slowly mix in oil, followed by water. Knead dough to form a ball – add additional flour if necessary. Turn dough out onto flour-dusted counter; allow to rest for 15 minutes, covered by a damp cloth. Cut rested dough ball into 4 pieces, rolling each into a ball. Allow dough balls to rest for 10 minutes, covered by a damp cloth. 

Dust rolling pin and counter top. Roll out roti balls into 4 equal circles. The thickness of the dough should resemble the thickness of a flour tortilla. On a heated grill top, cook the roti dough for 45 to 60 seconds on each side or until golden brown spots form and the dough cooks. Be sure to avoid the dough stiffening altogether. 

Once dough is cooked and cool to the touch, remove lamb discs from refrigerator and place in the center of each cooked dough round. Fold towards the center, forming a pinwheel to encapsulate the filling. (For a simpler technique: simply fold the roti in half, pressing to flatten, but not pushing filling out to edges, ensuring it won’t escape the dough during final cooking).

For Dipping Sauce: In a food processor, combine cilantro, mint, shallot, vinegar, palm simple syrup and salt. Process until smooth; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, combine yogurt, cucumber and yu choy stems (or celery). Fold blended ingredients slowly into yogurt mix.

To serve: Heat large, seasoned cast iron pan 2 minutes over a medium-low flame. For each roti, add 1/4 cup of clarified butter to pan. After 60 seconds, add roti, fold side down (this is to ensure a continued seal as the roti cooks). Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, rotating around pan depending on hot-spots, for an even cook. Once golden brown, flip the roti and cook for an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Once golden brown on all sides, and hot all the way through, cut into wedges and serve immediately with dipping sauce on the side.

Recipe and image provided by The American Lamb Board