April 2011 Column

1. Column
e to our verY
Your monthlY guid
a
… with omer ran
own island’s secrets
HIDDEN GEMS
E
very time April comes around, I always MY SECRET LAMBAHRAIN
have the same two things on my mental Ingredients:
to-do list: spend at least one afternoon at 150ml Hoisin sauce
the beach before its heat stroke season, 90ml Rice vinegar
and have some friends over for a poolside 6 spring onions, thinly sliced
barbecue (poolside optional). 4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons crushed garlic
Many of my favourite memories involve a sacred fire
2 tablespoons honey
pit (Wikipedia told me that this is the origin of the word
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
barbecue) — whether its birthday BBQs, I am bored
1 tablespoon toasted sesame Fire
BBQ’s, summer BBQs, or my freezer broke BBQ’s Pit
seeds
— memories are made and lamb recipe legends are 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
created. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground
With that lamb-based thought in mind, I am going to black pepper
share MSL with you. What’s MSL? Well, it’s only the 2.5kg boneless butterflied leg
best Lamb BBQ recipe ever! It’s a tried and tested dish, of lamb
and has been voted as a favourite with every member of
Preparation:
the MSB team. MSL (My Secret LamBahrain) is so good,
In a large re-sealable plastic bag,
that you will greet strangers with the salutation, “Have
mix all the marinade ingredients.
you tasted MSL?” If you don’t, then you made it wrong. Place lamb in bag, seal, turn and ! msl
Shame on you! massage to coat. Refrigerate for 8 Voila
First thing you need to do is get yourself down to Al hours, or overnight.
Jazira supermarket, which I find has one of the best meat
1. Preheat your barbecue for high
selections on offer when it comes to barbecuing. Have
heat.
the butcher there trim, split and debone a whole leg of
2. Oil the cooking grate. Place
lamb for you. If Al Osra Supermarket in Saar is closer to
lamb on the grate and cook for
you, speak to Mohammed the butcher there, and he’ll
15 minutes on each side, to a
sort you out with a nice piece of lamb.
minimum internal temperature
If you don’t have a sacred fire pit, not to fear, Al Jazira of 63C, or to desired taste.
are here! They have cheap and highly effective temporary 3. Transfer meat to a serving The
barbecues you can pick up and use once (no clean up Mari
platter and allow it to rest for 15 nade
required!) I especially like the no clean up bit. minutes before slicing and serving.
Alternatively, should you want to invest in your fire
Al Jazira Supermarket, Mahooz
pit, head over to Manazel. Look for the Weber BBQ
Call: 1774 0111
accessories, which they have in abundance, as well as
GPS: N26 12 23 E50 34 36
absolutely anything else you could possibly need BBQ-
wise. I am about to try out their smoker... let me know if Mohammed, Al Osra
you have one and what I should smoke first Supermarket, Saar
bbqisbest@mysecretbahrain.com. Call: 1769 7558
GPS: N26 13 1 E50 28 45
Finally, and this is key, download Based On A True
Story by the New Zealand group, Fat Freddy’s Drop. Manazel, Salmabad
Call: 1778 6727 e
Then add some friends, ice and drinks, and voila! MSL ienc
Amb
heaven is born. GPS: N26 11 0 E50 32 10 The
Omer Rana is the Editor and Co-founder of www.mysecretbahrain.com. For any questions, email omer.rana@mysecretbahrain.com
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