Easy Indian Cooking (20 page)

1
Preheat the oven to 450ºF (230ºC).

2
In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, ginger, garlic, garam masala and salt. Place the lamb racks in the bowl and mix well, making sure all of the pieces are well-coated with the marinade.

3
Place the bread in a blender or food processor and pulse until it forms coarse crumbs. Add the fresh coriander, dried mint and cumin, and pulse to blend.

4
Heat the oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lamb to the pan and cook, turning as needed, until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and brush the mustard over the rounded top and the front side of the racks. Gently pat the bread crumb mixture into the mustard.

5
Roast in a preheated oven until a thermometer inserted into the meat reads 140ºF (60ºC) for medium-rare, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let it rest.

6
To serve, cut the lamb between the ribs into separate bone-in chops. Garnish with mint sprigs.

classic marinated lamb curry

Serves
6
Preparation
10 minutes
Cooking
25 minutes

This is a classic recipe, with no global twists to it! I have used boneless lamb here, but for additional flavor, and if you are willing to get your hands dirty, use a bone-in cut of lamb shoulder or leg. Serve with Puffed Breads with Mint (page 80) or Saffron Rice with Toasted Almonds (page 73).

2 lbs (1 kg) boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1-in (2.5-cm) cubes

3 tablespoons oil

5 cardamom pods

3 bay leaves

1-in (2.5-cm) cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon ground coriander

4 fresh green chili peppers, deseeded and minced

1 tomato, chopped

2 cups (500) ml water

1 cup (245 g) plain yogurt

½ cup (20 g) fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped

Curry Yogurt Marinade

3 onions, chopped

1 tablespoon Asian chili powder or ground cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon ground cumin

½ tablespoon ground turmeric

½ cup (125 g) plain yogurt

2 teaspoons garam masala

Salt, to taste

1
In a blender or a food processor, blend together the Curry Yogurt Marinade ingredients until smooth.

2
In a large bowl, mix together the marinade and lamb, making sure the pieces are well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours.

3
Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cardamom pods, bay leaves, cinnamon, and cumin seeds. They should sizzle in the oil. Quickly add the ground coriander. Mix in the lamb with the marinade and sauté over high heat, stirring for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the juices are mostly dry, 15 to 20 minutes.

4
Add the green chili peppers, tomato, water, and 1 cup (245 g) of yogurt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until lamb is tender and sauce is thick.

5
Serve hot garnished with the fresh coriander.

lamb chops with rosemary and lime

Serves
6
Preparation
15 minutes
Cooking
15 minutes

These elegant chops are simple to make, can be prepared in advance, and are a hit with my friends! The flavors make a delicious and fragrant sauce. I usually serve these chops with a side of Mango and Roasted Red Pepper Chutney (page 23), and some stir-fried seasonal vegetables.

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon whole cloves

7 cardamom pods

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1 cup (230 g) sour cream

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Salt, to taste

¼ cup (10 g) finely-chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons oil

2 lbs (1 kg) bone-in lamb chops, trimmed of excess fat

1 cup (250 ml) water

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, for garnish

Lime wedges, for garnish

1
Grind together the peppercorns, cloves and cardamom in a spice or coffee grinder.

2
Toast the ground spices, coriander, cumin, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small non-stick skillet over medium heat, constantly stirring until the spices are fragrant, about 2 minutes.

3
Mix together the toasted spices, sour cream, ginger, garlic, salt, rosemary, lime juice and one tablespoon of the oil in a large bowl. Add the lamb chops to the mixture and mix well, making sure all the pieces are well coated with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 to 6 hours.

4
Remove the lamb chops and reserve the marinade. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the lamb chops turning once until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side.

5
Mix the water and reserved marinade together and add it to the skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat until the chops are tender and the sauce is thick, about 10 to 15 minutes.

6
Serve hot, garnished with the rosemary sprigs and lime wedges.

honey roasted stuffed lamb

Serves
6
Preparation
20 minutes
Cooking
1 hour

Not an everyday dish, a stuffed leg of lamb is something you would want to make for special occasions. I live to serve this lamb dish with a portion of rice, like Basmati Rice with Dry-Roasted Spices (page 77). Note: You will need to ask your butcher to make the leg of lamb boneless, as it isn’t something you can’t do at home.

For the stuffing, you may use any vegetable of your choice, not necessarily the spinach and mushroom that I have used here.

1 (3½-lb/1.5-kg) leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat, de-boned, and butterflied

¼ cup (65 ml) malt vinegar

2 tablespoons oil

Salt, to taste

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 cup (230 g) sour cream

1 onion, minced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons warmed honey, plus extra for drizzling

1 teaspoon clarified butter

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon Asian chili powder or ground cayenne pepper

Spinach and Nut Stuffing

1 lb (500 g) fresh spinach, chopped

½ lb (250 g) button mushrooms, chopped

1 cup (140 g) almonds, chopped

¼ cup (25 g) dried cranberries

1 cup (40 g) fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped

1 tablespoon garam masala