1,000 Indian Recipes (256 page)

4 whole cloves

1 to 3 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

5 cups water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon garam masala

1.
Prepare the coconut milk and tamarind paste. Then, in a spice or a coffee grinder, grind together the almonds, red chile peppers, cumin, coriander, and poppy seeds to make a fine powder. Then, in a small food processor or a blender, process together the ginger and garlic until minced. Mix in the almond-spice mixture plus up to
¹
⁄
₄
cup water to make a smooth paste.

2.
Place the lamb in a large saucepan. Add the onion, peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, green chile peppers, salt, and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until the lamb is fork-tender, adding more water and continuing to cook, if needed, about 40 minutes. With tongs, transfer the meat to a bowl, then strain the broth into another bowl, discarding the spices.

3.
In a separate large, nonstick wok or saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the ginger-almond-spice paste, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and the reserved broth (if there is no broth, add about
¹
⁄
₂
cup water), and simmer to make a smooth sauce, about 5 minutes.

4.
Mix in the lamb and the tamarind and simmer another 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve hot.

Milk-Simmered Rib Chops

Tabakhnat or Tabaknar

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Truly an indulgence, this unusual Kashmiri dish calls for meat to be cooked in milk. Further, it is garnished with pure silver leaves, an old tradition that is alive to this day. (These can be bought in Indian grocery stores.) As if this wasn't enough, "Try cooking it at least once in ghee, the authentic way," says Promella Dhar, who gave me this recipe. Alas, I cook it in oil—for a little less luxury but better health.

12 to 15 lamb rib chops (about 2 pounds), all visible fat trimmed

1 to 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups milk

4 whole cloves

1 (1-inch) stick cinnamon

3 black cardamom pods, lightly crushed to break the skin

1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
cup melted ghee, mustard oil, or vegetable oil for pan-frying

4 to 6 silver leaves (optional)

1.
Place the chops, milk, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom pods, fennel seeds, ginger, and salt in a heavy wok or saucepan (not nonstick), and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until all the milk has been completely absorbed, the lamb is fork-tender, and all the spices cling to the chops, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool at least 1 hour.

2.
Heat the ghee or oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it registers 325°F to 350°F on a frying thermometer or until a small piece of meat dropped into the hot oil takes 15 to 20 seconds to rise to the top.

3.
Standing far from the wok (to avoid splattering), use tongs to add the chops, piece by piece, adding as many as the wok will hold at a time without crowding. Pan-fry, turning them around with a slotted spatula, until they are crispy and golden.

4.
Transfer to a tray lined with paper towels to drain, then transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with silver leaves and serve.

Milk-Simmered, Batter-Fried Lamb Rib Chops

Kabargah

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Here is yet another rich authentic lamb rib chops recipe from Promella Dhar's Kashmiri kitchen. The chops are first cooked in a mixture of spices and milk, then dipped in a yogurt and chickpea flour mixture, then deep-fried. Coating the ribs with yogurt cheese before deep frying lends a silky smoothness to these chops.

¹
⁄
₂
cup
Yogurt Cheese
or sour cream

1 (6- to 8-inch) piece muslin or 4 layers of cheesecloth (about 2 feet)

8 whole cloves

2 (1-inch) sticks cinnamon, broken

4 bay leaves

4 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

6 green cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon black peppercorns

1
¹
⁄
₄
-inch piece nutmeg

12 to 15 lamb rib chops (about 2 pounds), all visible fat trimmed

1 to 1
¹
⁄
₂
cups milk

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¹
⁄
₂
cup chickpea flour

¹
⁄
₄
cup rice flour

1 large egg white

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon ground ginger

¹
⁄
₄
to
¹
⁄
₃
cup water

1 cup melted ghee, mustard oil or vegetable oil

1.
Prepare the yogurt cheese. Then, in a small piece of muslin or 4 layers of folded cheesecloth, loosely tie together the cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, black and green cardamom pods, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, and nutmeg to make a seasoning pouch.

2.
Place in a heavy wok or saucepan (not nonstick) along with the rib chops, milk, and
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until all the milk has been completely absorbed and the lamb is fragrant and fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool at least 1 hour.

3.
Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, mix together the chickpea and rice flours, egg white, ground ginger, and the remaining
¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon salt, then add the water and whisk to make a smooth, semi-thick batter.

4.
Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it registers 325°F to 350°F on a frying thermometer or until a small piece of meat dropped into the hot oil takes 15 to 20 seconds to rise to the top.

5.
Mix the yogurt cheese (or sour cream) with the cooked ribs to coat them, then dip each one into the batter. Using tongs, add the rib chops to the hot oil, piece by piece, standing back from the wok and adding as many as the wok will hold at a time without crowding. Deep-fry, turning them with a slotted spatula or tongs until they are crispy and golden. Transfer to a tray lined with paper towels to drain, then transfer to a serving platter and serve hot.

Citrus-Glazed Lamb Loin Chops

Phal-Ras ki Chaampein

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is a nod to California cuisine. I've experimented with this recipe over the years and have finally come up with one that I love. Served as an entrée or as finger food, these chops are international in flavor.

2 tablespoons
Basic Ginger-Garlic Paste
(or store-bought)

8 to 10 lamb loin chops (about 2
¹
⁄
₂
pounds), all visible fat trimmed

¹
⁄
₄
cup fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons pineapple juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

¹
⁄
₂
teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

2 medium onions, finely chopped

¹
⁄
₂
cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon ground dried mint leaves

3 to 5 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, halved lengthwise with or without seeds

1.
Prepare the ginger-garlic paste and the garam masala. Then, place the lamb chops in a large non-reactive bowl. Add the orange, pineapple and lemon juices, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, and salt 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 2 and up to 24 hours.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds and black pepper; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onions and cook, stirring, until golden, about 7 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

3.
Leaving as much of the marinade behind as you can, add the lamb chops to the skillet in a single layer and cook until well-browned on both sides, 10 to 15 minutes.

4.
Add the onions and the marinade, lower the heat, cover the skillet, and simmer until the chops are tender and well-glazed with the reduced marinade, 15 to 20 minutes. Mix in the cilantro during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Transfer to a serving dish, top with the mint and green chile peppers, and serve hot.

Pan-Sautéed Lamb Chops with Rosemary