Lamb Chops with Ezme Salad

How do we celebrate occasions? As always with good wishes and intentions, capped with delectable meals. Valentine's Day comes with the bold declaration of love. Red reminds us of warmth, of passion, of the beating heart...so I try to add some of that intense color to dinner.

So much of my inspiration comes from Ottolenghi. I take his creation to heart but walk an easier path. Lamb chops are marinated in lemon and garlic. The Turkish salad is a quick sauté of garlic, onions and cherry tomatoes. Seasoned with tomato paste, pomegranate molasses and seasonings, it is the perfect foil for the grilled chops. Lying on a bed of yogurt, the chops are topped with the Ezme salad and a spice mix. Food is very much the music of love. So, I play on!

LAMB CHOPS WITH EZME SALAD

Inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 2

8 Lamb Chops

1 Lemon, juiced

3+3 Garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

2 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes

1 small Red Onion

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Tomato Paste

2 tablespoons Pomegranate Molasses

1 teaspoon Dried Mint leaves

1/4 cup Parsley leaves

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

3/4 cup plain Yogurt

1 teaspoon roasted Cumin Powder

1 teaspoon Sumac

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Trim fat from lamb chops. Place the chops in a bowl. 

Pour lemon juice over chops.

Grate 3 garlic cloves and massage them into the chops.

Season with salt and olive oil. 

Marinate chops for a few hours.

Peel and cut red onion into large chunks.

Peel 3 garlic cloves.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick saucepan.

When oil shimmers add cherry tomatoes, onion and garlic. Toss the veggies over a high flame till you see char marks on all of them. The garlic and tomatoes will have softened a little. 

Take it off the flame and scrape into a bowl. 

Pick garlic cloves out of the bowl and smash them with a spoon or fork. Add them back to the bowl.

Add tomato paste, molasses, mint, parsley and seasonings to salad. Mix well. Keep aside. 

Cook lamb chops on a gas grill or stove top grill, 3 minutes per side for medium rare. 

Whisk yogurt well and spoon it onto a plate. 

Arrange lamb chops over yogurt. 

Spoon Ezme salad over lamb chops. 

Mix roasted cumin powder, sumac and salt in a small bowl.

Sprinkle this seasoning over the chops and salad.

Serve warm.

Tangdi Kabab

Finger foods make great snacks, especially when family comes over.  I think about tangdi kababs often. These smoky, grilled chicken legs are good pick- me-up finger food. The snow-covered grill makes it impossible to grill then, but my sister sends me an Insta Reel with a great alternative!

Small chicken legs are marinated overnight in yogurt, roasted besan, cilantro, dried mint, spices and mustard oil. Roasted in the oven, the legs are brushed with ghee and grilled over an open flame. Prassy, your idea was perfect. Gently charred chicken and a squirt of lime is fine finger food.

TANGDI KABAB

Serves 4

10 small skinless Chicken Legs

1 Lime

2 tablespoons Besan or Chickpea Flour

1/2 cup Yogurt

1/2 cup Cilantro Leaves

1 heaping tablespoon dried Mint leaves

2 teaspoons Ginger Garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon Chile powder

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon Coriander powder

1 teaspoon Garam Masala

1 teaspoon Black Salt

1 teaspoon Fennel Powder

1/2 teaspoon Chaat Masala

2 teaspoons Mustard Oil

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Ghee

Limes

Put chicken legs in a bowl. 

Cut the lime and squeeze juice over chicken. 

Dry roast besan in small saucepan over low heat. 

Blend yogurt, cilantro, mint and ginger garlic paste till smooth. Pour it over chicken. 

Add roasted besan, chile, turmeric, coriander and garam masala powders, black salt, fennel powder, chaat masala, mustard oil and salt to chicken. 

Blend well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Bring chicken to room temperature for 1 hour before you cook it.  

Heat your oven to 375F/190C.

Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Spray foil with nonstick spray or brush the foil with oil.

Arrange chicken in the sheet pan. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes till chicken is done.

You could serve the chicken at this point. 

Or you could grill it over an open flame. I used a small handheld  steel mesh.

Brush the legs with little melted ghee and grill the chicken turning it so all sides get a sear. Finish all the legs in this manner and then reheat in a hot oven for 10 minutes.

Squeeze a little lime juice over grilled legs and dig in.

Bun Dosa

Let me not knock Reels cause that's where I found this gem. An intriguing trend, the dosa hadn't really appealed to me...till it did! I am a convert and a fan. What do I love about it. It's easy to assemble. You almost always have the ingredients. It can be paired with chutney, sambar, chicken curry or whatever suits your fancy. 

Semolina or sooji is blended with yogurt and water. A quick sauté of mustard seeds, onion, chiles, curry leaves and cilantro are added along with seasonings. You should use a small frying pan for best results. I have a small one egg fry pan which works the best. Make them and relish your bun dosa. 

BUN DOSA

Adapted from Kunal Kapoor

Makes 10 dosas

1 cup Semolina

1/2 cup Yogurt

1 cup Water

1 tablespoon Canola Oil plus more as needed

1/4 teaspoon Mustard Seeds

A pinch of Asafetida or Hing

1 small Red Onion, chopped fine

2 Green Chiles, chopped fine

6-8 Curry leaves, sliced thinly

1/4 cup Cilantro leaves

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

Blend semolina, yogurt and water till smooth. Pour into a bowl.

Heat oil in a saucepan. 

When it shimmers add mustard seeds and asafetida. 

When seeds splutter add onion, chiles and curry leaves. Saute for 2 minutes. 

Take it off the flame and add cilantro. Mix well. 

Scrape the onion mix into the dosa batter. 

Add salt and baking soda. Mix well. 

Heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil in a small nonstick saucepan. 

Drop 1/8 cup batter into the pan. It's hard to say how much batter as it depends on your pan. I used two small ladlefuls of batter, about 4 tablespoons. 

Allow bun dosa to cook. The edges will turn brown, and the center will develop holes, about 2-3 minutes. That tells you it is time to flip the dosa. 

Cook the underside for 1 minutes and take it out of the pan. 

Repeat process and finish the batter. 

Eat them fresh or refrigerate and enjoy over the next few days.

These dosas are different and delicious. And I love them!