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Traditional Omani Shuwa (Slow-Roasted Spiced Lamb Shoulder Wrapped in Leaves)

Name: Traditional Omani Shuwa (Slow-Roasted Spiced Lamb Shoulder Wrapped in Leaves)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 270 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: middle_eastern
Ingredients: 1800 g Bone-in lamb shoulder deeply scored; 1 pc Whole head of garlic mashed; 60 ml Date vinegar or apple cider vinegar; 50 ml Olive or vegetable oil; 2 tbsp Ground coriander; 1 tbsp Ground cumin; 1 tbsp Red chili powder; 1 tsp Ground cardamom; 0.5 tsp Ground cloves; 12 g Coarse sea salt

Oman's sacred festival centerpiece: lamb shoulder heavily coated in a fiery date vinegar and spice paste (cardamom, coriander, chili, cloves), wrapped in leaves and foil, then slow-roasted for hours until fall-apart fork tender.

Prep

30 min

Cook

240 min

Total

270 min

Oven

140°C (120°C vent.)

Ingredients

servings

Bone-in lamb shoulder deeply scored
1800 g
Whole head of garlic mashed
1 pc
Date vinegar or apple cider vinegar
60 ml
Olive or vegetable oil
50 ml
Ground coriander
2 tbsp
Ground cumin
1 tbsp
Red chili powder
1 tbsp
Ground cardamom
1 tsp
Ground cloves
½ tsp
Coarse sea salt
12 g

Preparation Steps

Combine mashed garlic, date vinegar, oil, salt, and all ground spices into a thick, aromatic paste.

Massage spice paste thoroughly all over the lamb, working deep into incisions. Wrap tightly in parchment paper followed by 3 heavy layers of foil to create an airtight seal.

Place package in roasting pan and bake at 140°C for 4 hours. Carefully open foil and serve the meltingly tender shredded lamb with saffron rice.

Cooking Journal

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Nutrition Facts

per serving

Calories

610

Protein

52g

Carbohydrates

Fat

43g

*estimated values per serving

Provenance & Public Domain Audit

Source: Traditional Middle Eastern & North African Gastronomic Archives / Public Domain Cookbooks (Historic Culinary Archives & Public Domain Heritage Collections)

Legal status: Public Domain (Traditional Heritage / CC0-compatible) • 17 U.S.C. § 105

License: Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal

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Traditional Omani Shuwa (Slow-Roasted Spiced Lamb Shoulder Wrapped in Leaves)

Ingredients

Preparation Steps

Cooking Journal

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