Spicy Lamb Chops With Tomato Cucumber Raita Recipes

GRILLED LAMB LOIN WITH TOMATO AND CUCUMBER RAITA AND ISRAELI COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Strip leaves from stems of rosemary and thyme, then chop coarsely. Smash garlic cloves, then chop coarsely. Pulse herbs, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon oil in a food processor until smooth. Place lamb in a 13" x 9" glass baking dish; rub with garlic mixture; cover; refrigerate 1 hour. Remove from fridge and let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before grilling. Cook couscous as directed on package; transfer to a bowl. Toss with 2 teaspoon oil, cherry tomatoes and basil. Season with salt and pepper; set aside. Make raita: Heat oven to 375°F. Toss tomato slices with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and spread on a baking sheet; roast until tomatoes brown in spots, about 30 minutes. Grind cumin seeds to a fine powder in a coffee grinder or spice mill. Puree roasted tomato in a blender with cumin, yogurt, cucumber and sugar until smooth. Stir in mint. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and refrigerate until ready to eat. Heat grill to medium-high heat (about 375°F). Grill lamb, about 2 minutes per side for medium. Remove from grill and let rest 10 minutes; cut into 1-inch-thick slices. Divide couscous and lamb among 4 plates. Serve with 1 tablespoon raita per plate.

SPICY STICKY LAMB CHOPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
• Toast the coriander and fennel seeds in small pan over a medium flame, shaking every 30 seconds so they don't burn. Once they've given off a lovely aroma and have turned a darker tone, remove from the hot pan and cool completely on a plate. Then throw them into your spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.
• Mix the spices with the yogurt, tomato paste, ginger, garlic, hot sauce, brown sugar, salt, a healthy few grinds of freshly ground black pepper, apple cider vinegar, and oil. Taste and season according to your palate.
• Cover each chop with the marinade, rubbing it into the meat and fat. You can marinate overnight, a few hours, or just 30 minutes. I've done all three and it tastes great every way.
• Bake the chops in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish until the lamb is cooked to medium-rare, or to your liking, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest, tented with foil, for about 5 minutes before serving.

CUCUMBER RAITA

Steps:

• Stir together the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, mint, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.

INDIAN SPICED LAMB CHOPS WITH CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• To make the cucumber salad, Slice the cucumber and onion thinly and add to a medium bowl.
• Dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice/vinegar and add the salt and pepper. Pour over the cucumber and onion and allow to marinate for 10-15 minutes before serving.
• Combine all the spices, garlic, ginger and olive oil in a small bowl and set aside.
• Rub the spice mixture into the lamb chops and repeat on the over side.
• Pan-fry/grill the lamb chops in a pre-heated pan/grill. You can also cook the lamb in the oven or on an outdoor grill/braai.
• Cook your lamb chops for 3-4 minutes per side and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

CUCUMBER RAITA

Steps:

• Combine ingredients in a food processor and pulse 3 times to just chop up the cucumber. The raita should be nice and creamy from the yogurt but still have texture from the cucumber.

TOMATO & CUCUMBER RAITA

Steps:

• Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan. Grind to a powder using a pestle and mortar. Tip the yogurt into a bowl with the tomato, cucumber and coriander. Season with pepper and gently mix.

SPICE-RUBBED LAMB CHOPS WITH ROASTED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. and lightly oil a baking pan.
• Arrange tomatoes in one layer in prepared pan and brush with 1 teaspoon oil. Roast tomatoes in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until browned lightly, and keep warm.
• Pat lamb chops dry. In a small dish stir together cumin, salt, and pepper and rub mixture on both sides of lamb chops.
• In a 9-inch heavy non-stick skillet heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook lamb chops 3 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare meat. Transfer lamb chops to 2 plates and serve with roasted tomatoes.