Masala Lamb Chops or Chaanp as They Say it Back Home

This is version 1.1 of my recipe and I am sure it is the final cut. It was so good, I smacked my plate clean and bit and licked the rib bones, till my husband had to take them away from me. Albeit with some force. I know. I know, there is something very unattractive about calling your own recipe “perfect”. But there is no turning back from here.

And you will know why!

So the next time you are at your butcher shop or at the supermarket, make sure you get a rack of kid lamb or baby goat and ask your butcher to make you chops, equal slices of the ribs. Do not remove the fat.

The cooking time is shockingly short for this recipe if you have marinated your chops/chaanp for about 24 hours. The Masala Chaanp will make a great appetizer with a big pitcher of beer during the upcoming IPL season. Or you can remain sober and serve it for dinner with some sides and salads to spike up a boring evening.

Ingredients for Masala Lamb Chops/ Chaanp

500 grams lamb/ goat chops
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh green chili paste
1 tablespoon minced fresh coriander (leaves and stem)
Juice of one lemon
Half tablespoons coriander powder
Half teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed
Quarter teaspoon clove powder
1 + 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
Salt

Mix everything, except the oil, in a large bowl. If your hands are sensitive to green chilies, make your husband do all the mixing!

Make sure the marinade covers the chops well. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Make sure you keep the bowl out on your kitchen counter at least an hour before you cook the chops. Drizzle one tablespoon of oil and coat the meat well.

Heat your grill pan till its smoking hot. Brush some oil on the pan. Give it a couple of minutes to heat up.

 
Line the chops on the grill pan and let them sizzle and seduce your senses. Little by little drizzle drops of oil on the chops.
After about 5-6 minutes, turn the chops. By now you would have got nice char marks on the meat. Baste the chops with the leftover marinade and few more drops of oil. Keep the flame on high all this time.  
Give the chops 7-8 minutes on medium heat on each side to cook them through. Poke a little fork into one of the chops to see if the juices run clear.

Squirt some lemon juice on the lamb chops and serve hot. Savor the taste of freshness on a bone. It doesn’t get better than this.

Well, isn't that a welcome platter?