Grilled cashew-cardamom-mace lamb chops

Sometimes, you come across a recipe that you have to make, and this recipe is one of those. I want to digress and talk about mace, a unique spice derived from the cinnamon tree. It is the pale gold covering around the nutmeg nut, and it is virtually not known outside of Southeastern Asia. It is a potent spice with lots of wonderful aroma and flavour, which I love. In India we use it in North Indian curries, biryanis, especially with meat. You can read more about this fantastic spice here.

This exotic recipe is absolutely amazing. The yoghurt and ground cashew nuts make the marinade creamy, making the lamb chops a luxurious treat. This is a dish fit for a king!

I have been enjoying the recipes from this book. It now seems to be one I tend to gravitate towards for outstanding recipes. The recipes are a mix of traditional flavours with a contemporary twist, and each one turns out amazingly well.

Rasika is a beautiful cookbook of contemporary Indian flavours. The chef has taken a variety of fabulous recipes and presented them in a modern setting, like this raita. I recommend this book to those who want something different on their table.

For more wonderful recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

2 cups yoghurt, preferably whole milk

3-4 tablespoons roasted cashew nuts

2-3 Thai chiles, or to taste. Note that this is a mild sauce.

1 tablespoon ginger paste

2 tablespoons garlic paste

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground mace or 2 flakes

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons mustard oil. Available at any Indian store.

Salt to taste

10-12 frenched lamb chops

Ghee (optional)

Fresh mint, minced

Add all the marinade ingredients to a small blender and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust for salt, cardamom, and mace. Note that the flavour of mace will intensify over time and on the grill.

Marinate the lamb in the sauce, coating the meat well, for at least 4 hours or overnight (recommended).

Grill the meat on a charcoal or gas grill for 2-3 minutes per side for rare. Baste with the remaining marinade and some ghee, if desired.

Serve topped with the mint.