Easy Indian Cooking (19 page)

There are hundreds of ways to prepare meat in the Indian style. It is quite often minced to make various kinds of kebabs and
koftas
.
It is also used in stews, mixed with lentils, and often just braised with spices and eaten with bread or rice. All the dishes in this chapter are treated as the main dish in a meal, with the side dishes—appetizers, vegetables and accompaniments—planned around it.

grilled lamb chops with curried couscous

Serves
4
Preparation
15 minutes
Cooking
20 minutes

I have used couscous in this dish because it is almost a staple ingredient in most home pantries. Additionally, it goes wonderfully with most Indian dishes and flavors. Couscous has its own set of health benefits as well: it’s high in fiber and is a healthy alternative to rice or bread. Serve this main course combo with a vegetable dish of your choice or with my favorite pairing, Sweet and Sour Asparagus with Cashews (page 106).

1 cup (245 g) plain yogurt

1 tablespoon garam masala

Salt, to taste

1½ lbs (750 g) ½-in (1.25-cm)-thick lamb chops

1 teaspoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon paprika

1½ cups (375 ml) water

2 tablespoons butter

1½ cups (300 g) couscous

1
Mix together the yogurt, garam masala and salt in a small bowl. Marinate the lamb chops with the yogurt mixture overnight or for at least 4 hours.

2
Toast the curry powder, turmeric, cinnamon and paprika in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the water, salt to taste and the butter, and bring to a boil. Place the couscous in a heatproof bowl and pour in the boiling water mixture. Quickly cover with plastic wrap and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

3
Preheat the grill or broiler to 375ºF (190ºC) or to high heat.

4
Scrape off the excess marinade and grill the lamb chops, turning over once, for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side for medium doneness and set aside.

5
Fluff the couscous with a fork and transfer it onto a serving platter. Place the lamb chops over the couscous and serve hot.

indian-style beef burgers

Makes four 1/3-lb (150-g) burgers or eight 3-oz (80-g) sliders
Preparation
10 minutes
Cooking
10 minutes

These delectable patties can be served as appetizers or even as burger patties in a bun. My friends’ kids absolutely love these burgers when I serve them with Pomegranate Mint Chutney (page 21) home-style potato fritters and a Sparkling Ginger-Lime Cooler (page 116).

1½ lb (750 g) lean ground beef

1 onion, finely chopped

2 teaspoons minced ginger

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

½ teaspoon Asian chili powder or ground cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 fresh green chili peppers, deseeded and minced

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

¼ cup (10 g) fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped

¼ cup (2 g) fresh mint leaves, chopped

Oil, for brushing the burgers

4 hamburger buns or 8 slider buns

1
Place the meat in a bowl. Add the onion, ginger, cumin, coriander, Asian chili powder, salt, chili and lemon juice, and mix well with your hands, turning, mashing and kneading to blend the flavors and to get a smooth texture. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least an hour.

2
Mix in the fresh coriander and mint leaves. With wet hands, mold the mixture into 4 equal-size patties or, to create sliders, 8 equalsize patties. Refrigerate the patties at least for 1 hour.

3
To grill the patties: Preheat the grill to high. Lightly oil the grate with vegetable oil—pour oil onto a paper towel, then hold the towel with tongs to wipe the oil onto the grate. Place the patties on the grill directly over the heat. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium doneness, brushing with oil to prevent sticking, turning once.

4
While the meat is cooking, prepare the rolls. Slice and toast the bread on the grill. Serve the patties sandwiched between the bun halves.

Tip
Do not press down on the patties with a spatula during cooking—this only squeezes out the juices and dries out the meat.

roasted rack of lamb with a mint crust

Serves
4
Preparation
15 minutes
Cooking
30 minutes

Coating meat with a crust is actually a French technique. The final outcome makes for a great presentation, so it is one of those dishes that you should make when the occasion calls for something impressive! The crumbed crust used here has flavors of mint and mustard that go very well with lamb. Serve it with a vegetable side like Zucchini with Yellow Mung Lentils and Roasted Garlic (page 105).

2 racks of lamb, about

2 lbs (1 kg) each, trimmed of excess fat

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon garam masala

Salt, to taste

1 slice whole-wheat bread, lightly toasted

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

2 tablespoons ground dried mint leaves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 fresh mint sprigs, for garnish