Tamarind and ginger roast lamb recipe by Melissa Thompson

Here, tamarind’s tanginess excites the lamb to make a deliciously sticky dish

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Tamarind is abundant in Jamaica and, happily, it goes with nearly everything. Here, its tanginess excites the lamb. This is to make a deliciously sticky dish that is perfect for a lazy Sunday. We cook it so there’s still a bit of bite to the meat, but if you would rather it was pull-apart tender, cover it in foil for the first 2 hours of cooking, then remove the cover for the rest.

Serves 6-8
tamarind pods 400g, or 2 tbsp tamarind extract
ginger 2½cm piece, chopped
garlic 4 cloves
ground ginger 1 tbsp
ground pimento 1 tsp
thyme leaves from 4 sprigs
ground cinnamon½ tsp
ground cumin 1 tsp
spring onions2, sliced
sea salt 2 tsp
lamb shoulder on the bone 1.5-2kg piece
onions 2, sliced