Hariyali Lamb Chops

2 hours 0 mins Prep Time

25 mins Cook Time

Written By

Nadia Boachie

Hariyali is a green curry made from spinach, cilantro, kasuri methi, mint or a combination of these green leaves and herbs. This particular recipe is made from predominantly cilantro and mint, and it pairs perfectly with these lamb chops. A rack of lamb is marinated in the flavourful blend of herbs, pan-seared in a skillet and finished in the oven. The marinade is cooked further and served with the lamb. These chops would go perfectly well with potatoes or perhaps rice and the hariyali curry serves as the perfect sauce to eat your lamb with. Try this recipe out if you are looking for a beautiful, tasty Indian recipe that will impress your guests.

Ingredients

Lamb Marinade

1 rack of lamb, drenched
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 heaping cup fresh cilantro
1 heaping cup mint
3-4 red or green chilis
1-inch piece of ginger
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Water, as needed

Sauce

2 tablespoons ghee
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon kasuri methi
2 green cardamom pods
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons kashmiri chili powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons yogurt (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

To Serve

1/2 cup yogurt
Cilantro, to garnish

Directions

Hariyali Lamb Chops

16 Steps

Step 1

Season your lamb with a mixture of salt, pepper, ground cumin and garam masala and let sit for 10 minutes.
Step 2

Blend all ingredients of your hariyali marinade. Place fresh cilantro, mint, chilis, ginger and garlic into a blender. Add up to 1/4 cup of vegetable oil and 1/4 cup of water to help you blend.
Step 3

Place your drenched lamb rack in a large Ziploc bag and pour marinade over lamb. Seal Ziploc bag shut and massage it so marinade fully covers meat and place in the fridge for 4 hours to marinate.
Step 4

30 minutes before you want to cook your lamb, remove from bag and let sit on counter.
Step 5

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Step 6

When ready to cook, take lamb out of bag, brush off excess marinade and heat a skillet.
Step 7

Place 1 tablespoon of oil into hot skillet and sear lamb, fat side down for at least 5 minutes and continue to sear on all sides for an additional 5 minutes until fat cap is nice and charred and the outside of the lamb gets a nice char. The lamb should be in the pan searing for about a total of 10 minutes.
Step 8

Take skillet off the stove top and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until lamb is cooked to desired doneness. I like my lamb rare and therefore cook to an internal temperature of 110-115°F. Get your lamb up to 120°F for medium rare and 145°F for well done.
Step 9

While lamb is in the oven and while lamb is resting, add 2 tablespoons of ghee into a pan. Add your green cardamom pods and bay leaf and cook for about a minute moving around in pan until fragrant.
Step 10

Add the rest of your marinade into the pan with ghee and whole spices and cook sautéing until marinade cooks down a bit and oil separates out of mixture.
Step 11

Add your Kashmiri chili powder and turmeric. Add 2 tablespoons of yogurt if using and mix well.
Step 12

Add a teaspoon of garam masala and a tablespoon of kasuri methi. Season with more salt if necessary and place aside to serve with lamb.
Step 13

To create yogurt dip, mix about 2 tablespoons of cooked marinade with 1/2 cup of yogurt and set aside to top lamb and also use as a dipping sauce for the lamb.
Step 14

When lamb is ready, remove from oven, let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing the chops single or double boned.
Step 15

Place hariyali curry on a serving plate and arrange over your sliced lamb chops. Top chops with more marinade and finish with dollops of yogurt dip. Tip: If you want to be able to drizzle marinade over your lamb chops, you can 'thin out' your marinade by mixing a small amount with lamb drippings (if they are not too dark), oil or melted ghee.
Step 16

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.