Middle Eastern spiced juicy and succulent Masala Lamb Chops with mint yogurt dressing and Middle Eastern salad, bulgur chickpea pilaf as sides – with a carafe of wine – can be a money saving and delicious date night option.
This post is going to be heavy – why don’t you grab a cup of your favorite beverage before you start?
Sometimes, it’s better to leave the virtual world and live in the moment. Undoubtedly, Facebook has helped me in many ways. However, sometimes, it’s good idea to leave the phone or laptop and watch the sunset while holding a warm cup of boozy hot chocolate (recipe coming soon).
December is my favorite month of them all. I love hot beverages, cold winters, snuggles, movies, and indoor activities. Work is very relaxing this time of year. During The last two weeks of December I wanted to enjoy the most with my husband. So, since last Tuesday, I have been doing a Facebook detox, which means I only check Facebook for 30 minutes a day. As I had plethora of time, I researched art, photography, watched 5 Die Hard movies, Star Wars Episode VII, cooked a lavish dinner for two of us, went on multiple walks with my husband and took a ton of pictures there (post coming soon), looted an antique market and shopped a truck load of props there (pictures coming soon too).
This might be my last post before the next year. So, I want to take a moment to wish all of you a very happy new year.
Storyofcooks is changing a lot in 2016. As you know, I am launching the RECIPE BOX very soon. I am also going to REDUCE my regular RECIPE BLOG POSTS and work on photography more. So, you’re going to find many PICTURE HEAVY BLOG POSTS in 2016 (and yes, some of those will be available for sale).
Now, let talk about these lamb chops!
I have mentioned before that my husband is a Jew, so he never celebrated Christmas before marrying me. However, I do and every Christmas, mom prepares something amazing. After thinking and researching a lot – I texted him “What would you like for Christmas – Masala Lamb Chops + Pilaf + Sauce + Salad (Middle Eastern style) or Pasta with chicken?” And his response was “Of course, Lamb Chops.”
To be frank, who on earth can refuse masala lamb chops? Now, I do have cholesterol so I can’t have lamb as often as he can. But I can have once in 2-3 months for sure. After discussing with my girl pal Faith from Edible Mosaic, I settled on Middle Eastern spiced Lamb chops and a traditional Middle Eastern salad. The salad is adapted from her book, Edible Mosaic.
I was planning this romantic dinner for a while. On the evening of the 25th, after lighting the candle, pouring his favorite red wine (Côtes du Rhône) into glasses, serving this dinner on our dining table – I asked him to join me. And his reaction was – “WOW”. My husband is not a social media person, but he did not forget to take a picture using his phone – so he can cherish the moment later.
This recipe is loosely based on Ottolenghi’s lamb recipe from Jerusalem. The spice mix is extremely useful and it’s an extremely good idea to prepare a big batch and store it in an air-tight container.
Recipe for Masala Lamb Chops
Lamb chops
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 10 whole cloves
- 10 green cardamom pods
- 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 piece (1 1/2 inch) ginger, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- maldon sea salt, to taste
- 8 lamb chops, about 1 1/2 pounds
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)
Mint yogurt sauce
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 2 cups plain greek yogurt
- 3 cloves garlic
- salt to taste
- olive oil, paprika, 1 sprig of mint (for garnish)
Bulgur Chickpea Pilaf
- 4 cups or more chicken stock or water
- 2 cups bulgur, washed and drained
- salt to taste
- 1/2 can (15oz) garbanzo beans, drained, washed and dried
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons vermicelli
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Middle Eastern Salad
Instructions
Lamb Chops
- In a non-stick skillet, over a medium heat, heat whole black peppercorns, whole cloves, green cardamom pods, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and a cinnamon stick for 2 to 3 minutes or until they release the aroma. Take it aside.
- In a spice or coffee grinder, add roasted whole spices, nutmeg, ground ginger, and paprika and grind them until smooth. Take it aside in a bowl.
- In a mortar pestle, crush ginger, garlic and cilantro. Work it until smooth and take it aside in a bowl.
- In a mixing bowl, rub the meat pieces firmly with salt. Add the dry spice mixture with a spoon and your fingers and pat it well on the lamb chops. Add ginger-garlic-cilantro paste and pat it down. Cover it with a cling wrap and set it aside until you prepare the rest. {Note: 6-8 hours of marinating is ideal}
- Before serving, in a non-stick skillet over a medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add 4 lamb chops and cook it half covered for 4 to 5 minutes. Flip it over and cook the other side is for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it’s cooked through. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with the rest.
Mint Yogurt Sauce
In a food processor, add mint leaves, yogurt, garlic and salt. Work it until smooth. Take it aside in a serving bowl. Garnish with oil, paprika and a sprig of mint. Serve it with the lamb chops. {You can prepare it ahead of time and serve it chilled}
Bulgur chickpea pilaf
- In a non-stick saucepan, over a medium heat, heat chicken stock/water. Add bulgur and cook it half way covered for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until it’s softened.
- Add salt, garbanzo beans and give it a stir. Reduce the heat to a lower setting until you prepare the vermicelli.
- In another non-stick skillet, over a medium-high heat, heat butter. Add vermicelli and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Take it aside and add that to the bulgur. Give it a stir and take it aside. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.
{If you prepare this ahead of time, prepare it on a serving dish. Cover it well with aluminum foil and keep inside a closed microwave. DO NOT TURN ON THE MICROWAVE. You can also keep inside the oven by turning on the warm setting.
Middle eastern Salad
In a mixing bowl add cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, as well as green and black olives. Mix it well using a fork. Add salt, sumac and paprika. Drizzle with olive oil and with a fork tenderly mix them well. Garnish with feta cheese and fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Ooh! Gorgeous! Dolphia…. These photos are just marvelous (tongue tied at the moment 🙂 ). Happy New year to you and your loved ones.
Happy New Year Dol .. Loved the pictures.. specially the mint !!!