Christmas Glazed Ham
A beautifully aromatic, Asian-inspired glaze that balances sweet mango, tangy tamarind and fragrant lemongrass - perfect for a festive Christmas ham with an exotic twist.
By Chef Roel Van Camp
Method
Blend the mango and tamarind paste in a blender until smooth.
In a small saucepan, combine the mango–tamarind purée, palm sugar, honey, fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, ginger, galangal, garlic and chilli.
Simmer gently over medium heat for about 10–15 minutes, stirring often, until the glaze is thick and glossy. If it becomes too thick, add a splash of water.
For a smooth finish, strain the glaze through a fine sieve to remove any bits.
Score the ham fat in a diamond pattern. Brush generously with the glaze and roast at 160-175°C fan-forced, basting every 15–20 minutes for 1–1½ hours, until golden and caramelised.
Before carving, warm a little extra glaze and brush on for a final shine. Garnish with finely sliced kaffir lime leaf and optional roasted macadamia nuts.
Ingredients
1 medium ripe mango, peeled & chopped
3 tbsp tamarind paste
¾ cup palm sugar or brown sugar
¼ cup honey
¼ cup fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, finely sliced
2 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced - or zest of lime
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp fresh galangal, grated
1 clove garlic, grated
1 small red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
1 tbsp rice vinegar