Here is the home version of the Emirati madfun. Traditionally, the lamb was wrapped in a wet straw mat and cooked in a pit oven, with the mat placed directly on the embers. Obviously, the taste of mashwi roasted in a home oven is going to be different, but short of building a pit oven in the garden (if you have a garden), this recipe will be the closest you will get to a traditional madfun in a contemporary kitchen. The marinade is a heady mixture of rose water, saffron, spices, garlic, and lemon juice, which gives the meat a wonderfully exotic flavor without overpowering it. I often serve this roast with the Emirati Biryani.

SERVES 8 TO 10

INGREDIENTS

• 1 baby goat or baby lamb (10 to 12 pounds/4 to 5 kg), a large leg of lamb, or a shoulder of lamb with part of the rib cage still attached
• Juice of 2 to 3 lemons
• Sea salt

FOR THE MARINADE:

• 1 tablespoon b’zar (Arabian Spice Mixture)
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground dried lime
• 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Good pinch of saffron threads, soaked for 15 minutes in ½ cup (125 ml) rose water
• Emirati ghee or regular ghee or unsalted butter

FOR THE BASTING SAUCE:

• ⅓ cup (60 g) seedless tamarind paste, soaked in 1 cup (250 ml) water
• ½ cup (125 ml) rose water
• Good pinch of saffron threads
• 1 tablespoon b’zar (Arabian Spice Mixture)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse the goat and the head (if you were given one) under cold water. Soak the head for a few hours, changing the water regularly to get rid of all the blood. Pat dry with paper towels and rub both with the lemon juice and a little salt. If you are using other cuts, just pat them dry.
2. To make the marinade: Mix all the spices, the crushed garlic, lemon juice, and saffron rose water in a bowl. Brush the goat inside and out with the marinade. Brush a large roasting pan with a little ghee and place the goat in it. Cover loosely with foil and let sit for at least 1 hour to absorb the flavors.
3. Thirty minutes before the goat is ready, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
4. To make the basting sauce: Strain the tamarind water into a clean bowl, pressing on the pulp to extract as much flavor as you can. Stir in the rose water, saffron, b’zar, lemon juice, and salt to taste.
5. Roast the goat uncovered for 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes, or until the meat is golden and falling off the bone—if you are using a leg or shoulder, roast for 1 hour 30 minutes. After the first 20 minutes, baste the meat with the basting sauce and add water if the roasting pan is getting too dry, then baste again every 15 minutes or so. If you think it is coloring too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
6. Let sit for about 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot.