Authors: Neelam Batra

1,000 Indian Recipes (255 page)

BOOK: 1,000 Indian Recipes

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

1 pound boneless leg of lamb (see
Buying Leg of Lamb
) or beef (rump, brisket, or sirloin), all visible fat trimmed, cut into 1
¹⁄
₂-inch pieces

3 tablespoons melted ghee or vegetable oil

³⁄
₄pound small onions, each cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced

6 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

2 (1-inch) sticks cinnamon

4 cloves

¹⁄
₂cup cracked wheat (bulgur)

¹⁄
₂cup long-grain white rice

2 tablespoons dried split pigeon peas (toor dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

2 tablespoons dried split green mung beans (chilkae vaali mung dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

2 tablespoons dried green lentils (saabut masoor dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

2 tablespoons dried yellow split chickpeas (channa dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water

¹⁄
₂teaspoon cayenne pepper

1
¹⁄
₂teaspoons salt, or to taste

4 to 5 cups water

1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

2 tablespoons finely chopped mint leaves

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1.
Prepare the ginger-garlic paste. Then, in a bowl, soak the lamb in lightly salted hot water to cover about 1 hour. Drain.

2.
Heat the ghee (or oil) in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onions, stirring, until browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and reserve for garnish.

3.
To the pan, add the lamb, ginger-garlic paste, cardamom pods, cinnamon, and cloves, and cook, stirring, until the lamb is well-browned, about 10 minutes. Mix in the cracked wheat, rice, dals, cayenne pepper, and salt, and stir to roast, about 5 minutes.

4.
Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer until the lamb is very soft, about 1 hour. Add more water, if necessary, or cook uncovered until the dish is quite dry.

5.
Mix in the cilantro, mint, and lemon juice, then, with a large fork or a spatula, mash everything until it is porridge-like in consistency. Transfer to a serv-ing dish, sprinkle the reserved fried onions on top, and serve.

Lamb Chop and Cutlet Dishes

Fragrant Lamb Chops in Yogurt Curry

Dahi ki Yakhni Chaampein

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Here is yet another recipe from my friend Sunil Vora, a master chef and the owner of a respected Indian restaurant, The Clay Pit in Los Angeles, that defies the standard definitions of culinary terms in India—in this case,
yakhni
. This is neither a saucy dish, nor does it contain any
yakhni
(meat broth), but it is still called a
yakhni
. I really can't explain why. All I can say is that its flavoring, from nutmeg, mace, asafoetida, and fennel seeds, among the many others, makes it very special. It presents beautifully on the table as an entrée. It can also be served as a first course.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

¹⁄
₈teaspoon ground asafoetida

¹⁄
₄teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

¹⁄
₄teaspoon freshly ground mace

1 (1-inch) stick cinnamon, broken lengthwise

4 black cardamom pods, crushed lightly to break the skin

6 cloves

¹⁄
₂teaspoon black peppercorns

8 to 10 lamb rib chops (about 2 pounds), all visible fat trimmed

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¹⁄
₂teaspoon garam masala

2 fresh green chile peppers, such as serrano, minced or cut lengthwise into thin strips

¹⁄
₄cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

1.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-low heat and add the asafoetida, nutmeg, and mace, then quickly add the cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves, and black peppercorns and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.

2.
Add the meat, then add the yogurt, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring constantly until it is completely absorbed. Cook until the meat is well-browned and fork-tender, about 50 minutes. Halfway through the cooking, mix in the fresh ginger and salt.

3.
When the meat is cooked, mix in the fennel seeds, ground ginger, and garam masala and cook another 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the green chile peppers and cilantro, and serve.

Mughlai Lamb Chop Curry with Almond and Poppy Seeds

Mughlai Chaamp Kari

Makes 4 to 6 servings

From the north Indian Mughlai kitchen emerges this rich and creamy dish that makes an appearance on most special occasions. I have made it somewhat lighter by using more yogurt and less cream, though traditionally it is just the opposite.

¹⁄
₂cup
Almond and Poppy Seed Paste

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

¹⁄
₂teaspoon
Kashmiri Garam Masala
or garam masala

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

¹⁄
₄cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee

4 cloves

1 (1-inch) stick cinnamon, broken

1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

¹⁄
₂teaspoon ground ginger

¹⁄
₄teaspoon ground asafoetida

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

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 to 1
¹⁄
₂cups water

1.
Prepare the almond-poppy seed paste, the ginger-garlic paste, and the garam masala. Then, in a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, cream, and almond-poppy seed paste.

2.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cloves, cinnamon, fennel, cayenne pepper, ginger, and asafoetida and stir 1 minute. Add the lamb, ginger-garlic paste, and salt and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the meat is browned, 10 to 12 minutes.

3.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, adding a tablespoon of water every time the meat sticks to the bottom of the pan, until the meat is well-browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

4.
Add the rest of the water and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the meat is fork-tender, the sauce is thick and almost clinging to the pieces, and all the oil has separated to the sides, about 20 minutes. (If the meat is not tender, add another 1 cup water, cover the pan, and simmer on low heat until soft.)

5.
Mix in the whisked yogurt-cream mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until everything is incorporated into the dish, leaving behind a thick and smooth sauce, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle the garam masala on top, and serve.

Parsi Lamb Chops Curry

Parsi Chaamp Kari

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is a classic example of how different communities in India prepare the same dish. This lamb curry from the Parsi community in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) uses what's available to them—tamarind and coconuts.