A recipe for West: Royal Lamb Chops Braised with Nuts and Saffron. Follow the simple recipe instructions for West: Royal Lamb Chops Braised with Nuts and Saffron shared by other home cooking experts.
Ingredients
4 Tbs. Unsalted butter1/4 c. Sliced almonds
1/4 c. Slivered pistachios
6 lg. Garlic cloves
1 One-inch piece fresh ginger
1 Tsp. Coriander
5 Green cardamom pods, husked
1 Fresh hot green chile
1/4 Tsp. Black peppercorns
5 Whole cloves
1/2 Tsp. Royal cumin, or regular cumin seeds (see note)
1/4 Tsp. Ground mace
1/4 c. Water
3 Lamb rib chops, 4 ounces each, trimmed of all fat
1/2 c. Water
1/2 Tsp. Saffron threads, dissolved in 2 Tbs. hot water
Salt (optional)
1/2 c. Peas, fresh or frozen
2 Tbs. Minced fresh cilantro or parsley
Directions
This elegant entree is a specialty of Rajasthan, home of the Rajput warriors. Heat 2 Tbs. of the butter in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add almonds and pistachios; cook, stirring, until light brown, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Combine the garlic, ginger, coriander, cardamom, chili, peppercorns, cloves, cumin, mace and water in a blender and blend to form a smooth paste. Arrange lamb in a large shallow dish. Rub the spice mixture over both sides of lamb. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Heat remaining 2 Tbs. butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb and brown well on both sides. Add 1/4 cup of the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add remaining water; sprinkle in saffron. Cover and cook until lamb is tender, about 10 minutes. Taste, and add salt, if needed. Stir in peas and cook 5 minutes longer. Sauce should be very thick. Transfer lamb to a heated platter. Stir sauce and pour over lamb. Top with fried nuts and cilantro. Note: Royal cumin (black cumin) or shahi jeera gets its name from the royal Moghul dishes it was most used in. It is available at Indian markets. PER SERVING: 640 calories, 35 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 50 g fat (22 g saturated), 149 mg cholesterol, 131 mg sodium, 5 g fiber. Laxmi Hiremath writing in the San Francisco Chronicle, 6/24/02. - Stephen Ceideburg
