Spicy Lamb Chops Marinated in Garlic, Chilli & Garam Masala

by Maunika Gowardhan, featured in Tandoori Home Cooking

Published by Hardie Grant

Introduction

Whenever she wanted to serve up something truly special for dinner parties at our family home in Mumbai, my mum would always make these masala lamb chops. Adding Worcestershire sauce (a must-have ingredient in a lot of Parsi dishes) to the marinade gives a lovely umami flavour to the lamb along with the garlic, ginger and ground spices. I opt to use a shop-bought chilli-garlic sauce that has a vibrant red colour and the perfect consistency to coat the meat. Adjust the quantity of the chilli-garlic sauce depending on how spicy it is. Cooked in the oven, the rich marinade clings to the lightly charred chops.

As featured in

Tandoori Home Cooking

Image of Maunika Gowardhan's Spicy Lamb Chops — Photo by Issy Croker

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Metric Cups

8 lamb chops (French trimmed)
smoked butter (for basting) - see below

SMOKED BUTTER

You will need 1x 250 grams jar, sterilized
250 grams butter
1 medium piece of coal

FOR THE MARINADE

3 cloves of garlic
5 centimetres ginger root
2 green bird's eye chillies
2 tablespoons shop-bought chilli garlic sauce (I use the Lee Kum Kee brand)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
¼ teaspoon garam masala salt (to taste)

8 lamb chops (French trimmed)
smoked butter (for basting) - see below

SMOKED BUTTER

8¾ ounces jar, sterilized
8¾ ounces butter
1 medium piece of coal

FOR THE MARINADE

3 cloves of garlic
2 inches ginger root
2 green bird's eye chiles
2 tablespoons shop-bought chile garlic sauce (I use the Lee Kum Kee brand)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
¼ teaspoon garam masala salt (to taste)

Method

Spicy Lamb Chops Marinated in Garlic, Chilli & Garam Masala is a guest recipe by Maunika Gowardhan so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

For the marinade

Put the garlic, ginger and chillies in a blender with a splash of water and blend to a smooth paste. Put this paste in a deep dish along with the chilli garlic sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ground coriander, chilli powder and garam masala. Season with just a little salt. Add the lamb chops to the dish and mix well to make sure each chop is coated in the marinade.
Leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.

For the smoked butter

Melt the butter in a saucepan with a lid. Set aside.
Turn the gas hob to high heat. Using tongs, place the piece of coal directly in the open flame. Turn a few times as it begins to heat up and glow.
Turn off the heat and drop the piece of hot coal into the melted butter. It will begin to smoke. Cover the pan with a lid and leave the smoking coal to infuse the butter for 1 hour.
Stretch a muslin cloth over a sieve (wire mesh strainer).
Strain the smoked butter through the lined sieve into a sterilized jar, discarding the coal. Store in the fridge and use as required for basting tikkas and kebabs.

For the lamb chops

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan (425°F/gas 7). Line a baking tray with foil and place a wire rack over the tray. Place the chops on the wire rack. Place the tray in the hot oven and cook for 35–40 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, baste the chops with the smoked butter and return to the oven to continue cooking.
Serve the lamb chops warm with roti and mint raita.

For the marinade

Put the garlic, ginger and chillies in a blender with a splash of water and blend to a smooth paste. Put this paste in a deep dish along with the chile garlic sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ground coriander, chile powder and garam masala. Season with just a little salt. Add the lamb chops to the dish and mix well to make sure each chop is coated in the marinade.
Leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.

For the smoked butter

Melt the butter in a saucepan with a lid. Set aside.
Turn the gas hob to high heat. Using tongs, place the piece of coal directly in the open flame. Turn a few times as it begins to heat up and glow.
Turn off the heat and drop the piece of hot coal into the melted butter. It will begin to smoke. Cover the pan with a lid and leave the smoking coal to infuse the butter for 1 hour.
Stretch a muslin cloth over a sieve (wire mesh strainer).
Strain the smoked butter through the lined sieve into a sterilized jar, discarding the coal. Store in the fridge and use as required for basting tikkas and kebabs.

For the lamb chops

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan (425°F/gas 7). Line a baking tray with foil and place a wire rack over the tray. Place the chops on the wire rack. Place the tray in the hot oven and cook for 35–40 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, baste the chops with the smoked butter and return to the oven to continue cooking.
Serve the lamb chops warm with roti and mint raita.