spring lamb with caramelised basmati rice

I've been avoiding my blog for the past few weeks because I've been bombarded with some horrendous spam commenting; having to sift through the spam and spending half an hour deleting all of it I end up feeling 'blah'...and not wanting to have anything to do with my blog! I'm working on a solution at the moment... and enjoying that lovely bout of sunshine that February has brought to Cardiff.

Spring lamb. Tender, sweet, succulent meat. This is a quick and easy dish that you can prepare beforehand and grill right before serving. A fragrant accompaniment to these lamb chops is caramelised basmati rice... Just the food to get me back into a good mood!

Spring Lamb Chops Recipe

Serves 4 (or 2 VERY HUNGRY people!)

8 lean lamb chops
1 hot red chilli
a handful of chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp each of cumin & coriander seeds
½ tsp each of black pepper, turmeric, & ground cloves
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
175ml/¾ cup plain yoghurt
2 tsp vegetable or sunflower oil

1. Trim any excess fat from the lamb chops and place in a large, non-metallic bowl.
2. Chop the red chilli finely, then place in a separate bowl. Mix in the coriander, salt, sugar, ground spices, garlic and ginger.
3. Pour the yoghurt into the chilli mixture and mix together thoroughly. Pour this mixture over the top of the lamb chops and turn them over with your fingers (really MASSAGE!) to make sure they are completely covered. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate for at least an hour (overnight in the refrigerator gives the best results though!)
4. Heat a heavy-based frying pan and lightly brush the marinated chops with the oil. Cook over a medium heat for about 7 minutes on each side, or until cooked right through. Serve with a garnish of fresh coriander.

Caramelised Basmati Rice Recipe

225g/1 generous cup of basmati rice
3 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
4 tsp granulated sugar
4 split cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick (approximately 1 inch piece)
4 cloves
1 crushed bay leaf
1/2 tsp salt
475ml/2cups hot water

1. Wash the rice well until the water runs clear, and then put in in a bowl and pour water over to cover. Leave to soak for 20 minutes.
2. Drain the rice in a seive/colander, and shake it a little to make sure there is no water trapped between the grains. Set aside.
3. In a large pan, heat the oil over a medium heat, when hot, sprinkle the sugar over the surface and wait until it has caramelised (this should take approximately 2 minutes). Don't stir at this point.
4. Turn the heat down to low, and add the spices and bay leaf. Allow them to sizzle for 20-30 seconds, and then add the salt and rice. Fry gently, stirring, for 2 minutes. Increase heat back to medium.
5. Pour in the water and bring to the boil. Allow the water to boil steadily for 2 minutes, and then reduce the heat to very low. Cover the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes.
6. Remove the rice from the heat and let it stand (without lifting the cover) for a further 10 minutes. Finally, gently 'fluff' up the rice with a fork and transfer to a warmed serving dish to serve.

There you go! A satisfying seasonal dish that will definately make your Spring!