Equipment
Ingredients
Lamb & Braise Aromatics
- 1500 g lamb ribs (denver ribs or breast), whole slabs
- 10 g salt
- black pepper
- 250 ml water
- 6 garlic, whole cloves, smashed
- 5 fresh thyme
Tamarind Glaze
- 40 g tamarind concentrate
- 80 g honey
- 30 ml tamari soy sauce
- 15 g fresh ginger, grated
- 2 g dried chili flakes
Spice Crust (Dukkah)
- 40 g pistachios, shelled, unsalted
- 10 g white sesame seeds
- 8 g coriander seeds
- 6 g cumin seeds
- 4 g fennel seeds
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Season the lamb slabs generously on all sides with salt and black pepper.
Place the lamb ribs on a rack inside a roasting pan. Add the water, smashed garlic, and thyme sprigs to the bottom of the pan (ensure the liquid does not touch the meat). Cover the pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil to create a steam seal.
Roast in the oven for 2.5 to 3 hours. The meat should be very tender and pulling away from the bone ends, but not falling apart completely.
While the lamb cooks, prepare the spice crust. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add the sesame seeds and toast for 1 more minute. Remove from heat immediately.
Coarsely crush the toasted spices and pistachios in a mortar and pestle. Do not grind to a powder; you want a chunky, crunchy texture. Set aside.
Make the glaze: In the small saucepan, combine tamarind concentrate, honey, tamari, grated ginger, and chili flakes. Simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy.
Remove lamb from the oven and increase oven temperature to 220°C (425°F). Carefully remove the foil. Transfer ribs to a clean baking sheet or drain the fat from the roasting pan. Brush the ribs generously with the glaze.
Return the ribs to the hot oven for 10-15 minutes, brushing with more glaze halfway through, until the glaze is bubbling, sticky, and slightly charred in spots.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle the spice and nut mixture heavily over the sticky ribs so it adheres. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing between the bones to serve.
Chef's Notes
- Lamb breast/ribs are very fatty. Placing them on a rack during the first cook is crucial so the fat renders out and drips away, rather than the meat boiling in grease.
- For a professional finish, press the cooked ribs (after step 3) between two heavy baking sheets in the fridge overnight. This flattens them for uniform searing the next day.
- The spice mix (Dukkah) makes more than you need. Store the excess in an airtight jar for sprinkling on salads, hummus, or roasted carrots.
- If tamarind concentrate is unavailable, a mix of lime juice and molasses can approximate the sweet-sour profile, though the flavor will lack the specific fruity depth of tamarind.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store glaze and spice mix separately from meat if possible.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze roasted ribs without glaze for best results.
Reheating: Reheat ribs covered in foil at 150°C/300°F until warm, then glaze and broil to finish.
