Equipment
Ingredients
Lamb and Marinade
- 1500 g boneless leg of lamb, butterflied and trimmed of excess hard fat
- 250 g plain whole milk yogurt
- 6 garlic, minced
- 45 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 30 ml olive oil
- 10 g ground cumin
- 5 g ground coriander
- 5 g smoked paprika
- 15 g kosher salt
- 5 g black pepper, freshly ground
Herby Raita
- 250 g plain whole milk yogurt
- 150 g cucumber, grated and moisture squeezed out
- 15 g fresh mint, finely chopped
- 15 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 3 g kosher salt
Quick Yogurt Flatbreads
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 250 g plain whole milk yogurt
- 15 ml olive oil
- 10 g baking powder
- 5 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 856 kcal
- Protein
- 58 g
- Carbohydrates
- 50 g
- Fat
- 46 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1780 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 16 mg
- Potassium
- 560 mg
- Calcium
- 305 mg
- Iron
- 6.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 58 mg
- Phosphorus
- 367 mg
- Zinc
- 5.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 70 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 19 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.24 mg
- Niacin
- 1.0 mg
- Folate
- 31 mcg
- Water
- 157 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 250g yogurt, minced garlic, 45ml lemon juice, 30ml olive oil, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, 15g kosher salt, and black pepper to create the marinade.
Place the butterflied lamb leg in the bowl, massaging the marinade thoroughly into the meat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Wash your hands and sanitize any surfaces that touched the raw meat immediately after handling.
To make the raita, combine the remaining yogurt, grated and squeezed cucumber, mint, cilantro, 15ml lemon juice, and 3g salt in a medium bowl. Mix until completely incorporated.
Cover the raita and chill it in the refrigerator until ready to serve, allowing the flavors to develop.
For the flatbreads, mix the flour, baking powder, and 5g salt in a clean bowl. Add 250g yogurt and 15ml olive oil, mixing until a shaggy dough begins to form.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth. Form into a ball, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest at room temperature.
Divide the rested dough into 6 equal portions. Roll each piece out into a flat circle approximately 5 millimeters thick.
Preheat your outdoor grill to medium-high heat, establishing a two-zone cooking setup with a hot direct side and a cooler indirect side.
Remove the lamb from the marinade, shaking off excess. Grill the lamb on the hot side for 10 to 15 minutes per side, moving it to the cooler indirect side if flare-ups occur, until the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 54°C (130°F) for medium-rare.
While the lamb finishes cooking or begins to rest, grill the rolled flatbreads directly over the hot grates for 1 to 2 minutes per side until they puff up and develop char marks.
Transfer the cooked lamb to a large cutting board and let it rest undisturbed. Do not cover it tightly with foil, or the crust will become soggy.
Using a sharp knife, slice the rested lamb thinly across the grain to ensure maximum tenderness in every bite.
Arrange the sliced lamb on a serving platter. Serve immediately alongside the warm grilled flatbreads and the chilled herby raita.
Chef's Notes
- Butterflying the leg of lamb creates an uneven thickness, which is a secret weapon for pleasing a crowd. The thinner ends will cook closer to medium-well for those who prefer it, while the thickest center remains a juicy medium-rare.
- Always grate the cucumber for the raita and squeeze out the excess water using a clean kitchen towel or your hands. Skipping this step will result in a watery, diluted sauce.
- A yogurt-based marinade acts differently than highly acidic marinades. Lactic acid gently breaks down proteins over a longer period without turning the meat mushy, ensuring a deeply tender bite.
- When resting the lamb, avoid the temptation to tent it tightly with foil. Trapping the steam will ruin the beautifully caramelized, charred crust you worked hard to build on the grill.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store lamb, raita, and flatbreads in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap cooked lamb and flatbreads tightly in foil before freezing. Raita does not freeze well.
Reheating: Reheat lamb slices gently in a skillet over low heat or in a 150C oven until just warmed through to avoid overcooking. Warm flatbreads in a dry skillet.
Troubleshooting
Lamb exterior is burning before the inside reaches a safe temperature.
Cause: The grill is too hot or the dripping yogurt/fat is causing flare-ups.
Fix: Move the lamb to the cooler, indirect heat side of the grill, close the lid, and let it finish roasting gently.
Prevention: Always establish a two-zone fire so you have a safe, cooler zone to move the meat to if the flames get out of hand.
Flatbread dough is extremely sticky and impossible to roll out.
Cause: Differences in yogurt consistency brought too much moisture into the dough.
Fix: Dust your surface generously with flour and gently knead in additional flour, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough is manageable.
Prevention: Add the yogurt gradually when mixing the dough, holding back the last tablespoon if the dough feels wet.
Cultural Context
Yogurt-based marinades paired with lamb are fundamental to Levantine, Middle Eastern, and South Asian culinary traditions. The lactic acid in yogurt gently tenderizes the meat while the milk solids caramelize spectacularly over an open flame, a technique perfected over centuries of nomadic open-fire cooking. Serving this rich, smoky meat with cooling cucumber raita and fresh flatbread creates a perfectly balanced meal.
