Kashmiri Lamb Cutlets with Coriander & Mint Chutney & Kachumber Salad
A deliciously aromatic dish with spiced lamb, a vibrant herby chutney and fresh salad. Kashmiri red chilli has a more delicate heat than regular chilli powder and it adds a distinctive red colour and lovely warm, fruity spice. Lamb cutlets are delicious for a treat but can be expensive – swap for lamb steaks/chops or cubed lamb leg for kebabs if you prefer.
Method
In a dry frying pan over a medium heat toast the gram flour until lightly toasted and golden. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool. Add the cumin and fennel seeds to the pan and toast for 1-2 minutes.
Crush the toasted seeds in a pestle and mortar and put in a mini food processor along with the ginger, garlic, green chillies, coriander, Kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala, yoghurt, lemon juice and zest. Season well with salt and pepper and blitz to a paste. Tip into a large shallow bowl and stir in the gram flour.
Add the lamb cutlets to the bowl and coat well. Cover and chill to marinate for at least 4 hours. Ensure you remove the lamb from the fridge to get back to room temperature before cooking.
To make the chutney, put the coriander and mint in a mini food processor with 1 tablespoon of water and the lemon juice and blitz until well chopped. Add the chill, sugar, yoghurt and a pinch of salt. Pulse until you get a green sauce. Check for seasoning. Put into a small bowl and chill until needed.
Put all of the salad ingredients in a bowl, season with salt and squeeze over the lemon juice (no oil).
Put a frying pan with a drizzle of oil over a medium-high heat. Remove the cutlets from the marinade, ensuring that they’re still well coated. Drizzle with oil and add to the pan. Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on size and your preference.
Allow the meat to rest before serving with the kachumber salad and chutney. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Ingredients
- 8-10 lamb cutlets/lamb rib chops, trimmed
- oil, for drizzling
- For the Marinade
- 1 heaped tbsp gram (chickpea) flour
- 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
- 1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted
- 5cm fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
- 4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
- 1-2 green chillies, deseeded, roughly chopped
- large handful of fresh coriander
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder or deggi mirch
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 180g Greek yoghurt
- 1 lemon, juice & zest
- sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
- For the Chutney
- bunch of fresh coriander (approx. 20g)
- large handful of fresh mint, leaves picked
- ½-1 green chilli, deseeded, chopped
- ½ lemon, juice
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- For the Kachumber Salad
- ½ cucumber, diced
- 2-3 ripe but firm vine tomatoes, deseeded, diced
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- ½ green chilli, deseeded, finely chopped (optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- 1 tbsp chopped mint
- small pinch of ground cumin
- juice of ½-1 lemon