Word on the street is that lamb is a challenging type of meat to cook. I used to think so too until I found a few recipes that really proved how easy the tender meat is to work with. This recipe is amazing, simple, and full of flavour. I’ve done it here with lamb shoulder (it was on sale) but my preferred cut is rack of lamb, sliced along the bone into individual cutlets. The shoulder chop is great, but I find there is a lot of bone compared to the pricier, meatier rack. Either way, you can enjoy this tasty dish no matter what your budget or lamb-cooking experience is.
This recipe is super fast and is broken into 2 stages: make marinade and refrigerate; grill and eat. The longer it marinates the more flavour you get, but if you’re pressed for time, even 30 minutes can do wonders. And if you don’t have garam masala handy, try adding equal parts ground cumin and ground coriander for some lovely earthy flavour.
Using a mini chopper really helps speed up the prep time and I highly recommend trying one. Also, barbequing the meat outdoors would be ideal but since we don’t have one, this handy stove-top skillet does the trick (or a frying pan). I like serving these chili lamb chops with a mint yogurt sauce and rice or potatoes and a crisp salad.
Chili Lamb Chops Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 4 lamb shoulder chops (or one rack of lamb, sliced long the bone into 8 cutlets)
- 1 red chili
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro/coriander
- 1 Tbsp fresh mint
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp crushed garlic
- 2 tsp crushed ginger
- 2/3 cup plain yogurt (I use goat or coconut yogurt)
- 2 tsp canola or vegetable oil
Mint Yogurt Sauce
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 Tbsp chopped mint
- 1 Tbsp chopped flat leave parsley
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- pinch salt
- pinch pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine chili, coriander, mint, brown sugar, garam masala, salt, garlic, and ginger in a food processor and grind until finely chopped. (If not using food processor, chop chili, ginger, garlic, coriander, and mint and mix in brown sugar, garam masala and salt).
- Add spice mixture to yogurt and stir to combine. Pour mixture over lamb and turn to ensure they are completely covered. Cover and marinate overnight.
- Heat oil in large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chops and lower heat to medium heat. Turn the chops and continue to fry until they are cooked through – about 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Continue cooking until desired doneness is reached. Serve with rice or potatoes and a crisp salad.
Mint Yogourt Sauce
- Mix all the ingredients together and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
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