Yogurt-Marinated Lamb Skewers

This is my signature, fail-safe lamb kebab recipe. It’s such a crowd-pleasing favourite, that no matter how much I make, the skewers always disappear in minutes. The recipe works just as well with baby lamb rib chops; but there is something incomparable and visually irresistible about aromatic, charred chunks of meat waiting to be plucked off of obliging skewers. This kebab is terrific paired with warm pita bread and any of my cool, crunchy side salads—
Radish Salad with Dried Mint 
Cucumber Radish Salad with Ginger and Green Chillies 
Jicama-Mango Salad
Pear and Watercress Salad with Szechwan Peppercorns 

Ingredients 

2 lbs [1 kg] boneless leg of Lamb, cut into 2-inch-thich pieces
Six 12-inch-long Skewers*

Marinade: 

1 small Onion, peeled and quartered
5–6 cloves Garlic, peeled
2-inch piece Ginger, peeled
½ cup plain, unsweetened Yogurt (preferably a strained, Greek-style yogurt)
2 tbsp ground Coriander
1 tsp ground Cumin
1 tsp ground Garam Masala
1 tsp Chilli powder
¼ tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
Salt (to taste)
Juice of ½ lemon (reserve the squeezed lemon piece—rind, pith, and pulp—cut into quarters, for use in the marinade)

1. Put onion, garlic, and ginger in a food processor and grind to a smooth paste. Transfer paste to a large mixing bowl, large enough to accommodate the marinade and lamb. 
2. Add remaining marinade ingredients to bowl, except the quartered lemon pieces, and stir to incorporate. Add lamb and mix well with marinade. Tuck in the quartered lemon pieces into the meat, cover the bowl will plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hrs, or up to 1 day. Prior to cooking, remove lamb from fridge, thread meat pieces onto skewers, and bring to room temperature.
3. Pre-heat a charcoal/gas grill or grill-pan on medium for 25 mins. Turn the heat to high 5 mins before cooking. When the grill surface is smoking hot, add skewers, and let grill on their first side for 3 mins, or until well charred. Then gently turn every 2 mins until the remaining sides are well caramelised. 
4. Remove skewers onto a platter and let sit for 5 mins before serving. 

*TIP: If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for ½ hour prior to cooking, to prevent them from singeing on the grill.

Coriander-Tomato-Crusted Lamb Chops

Just in time for Memorial Day and the official start of summer grilling season, here is one of my signature lamb chop recipes, which can be cooked either in the oven or on an outdoor grill. Like my spare ribs recipe, you can marinate the meat well in advance, and easily size-up the quantities for large gatherings.

Ingredients 

5 lbs racks of Lamb rib chops (trimmed of excess fat and frenched)

Marinade: 

1 small Onion, peeled and quartered
8–10 cloves of Garlic, peeled
2-inch piece of Ginger, peeled
1 small Tomato, quartered
1 cup Coriander leaves (Cilantro); plus an additional ¼ cup, finely chopped, for a garnish
4 tbsp ground Coriander
1½ tbsp ground Cumin
1 tsp ground Fennel
1 tsp ground Fenugreek
1/8 tsp ground Cardamom
1 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Chilli powder
Salt (to taste)

1. Put the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato and coriander leaves in a food processor and grind to a smooth paste. Pour into a bowl, add remaining marinade ingredients, and mix well. 
2. Wash and pat dry racks of lamb. Thoroughly slather lamb on all sides with the marinade, lay flat and stack them in a large airtight container, pouring any leftover marinade over the meat. Cover the container will plastic wrap and seal tightly. Let meat marinate in the fridge for at least 1 day, and up to 7 days if needed. 
3. Remove lamb from fridge and bring down to room temperature. Place lamb onto a large roasting pan with the fat side up and cook in a 425ºF (220ºC) pre-heated oven for 20 mins. Then lower temperature to 400ºF (205ºC) and cook for 35–40 mins, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 140ºF (60ºC), i.e.—medium-rare. For well done meat, cook an extra 15 mins until the meat registers 175ºF (80ºC). 
4. Remove lamb from pan and rest on a cutting board, covered in foil, for 15–20 mins. Cut lamb in between each rib bone, garnish with chopped coriander and serve immediately. 

[If you’re using a grill, then roast the ribs in the oven for 20 mins only, then cook the remaining time over indirect heat on a charcoal or gas grill.]

Aromatic Yogurt-Brined Lamb Chops

I’ve been on a brining kick since Thanksgiving when I let my turkey sit for 3 days in a fragrant buttermilk-spice brine before roasting. Since then I’ve used the same technique three more times, changing the brine ingredients to suit the meat in question. For lamb chops, I substituted the buttermilk with yogurt thinned-down with water, and the resulting dish was so irresistibly tender, that hubby and I had to forego the cutlery and dive-in to the lamb chops with our hands.

Ingredients

For the Brine: 
1 small Onion (roughly chopped)
6 cloves Garlic (smashed)
1 tbsp whole Coriander
1 tbsp whole Fennel seeds
1 tbsp whole White Pepper
3 tbsp Salt
5 cups Water
1 cup plain Yogurt
Juice of 1 Lemon (reserve the leftover lemon—rind, pith, and pulp—cut into quarters, for use later in the recipe)

1½ lbs [750 gms] Lamb rib chops (about 16 chops) 
1 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
1½ tsp fresh Rosemary (finely chopped)

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Remove saucepan from heat and add all the brine ingredients except the yogurt, lemon juice and quartered lemon. Let steep for 20-25 mins until completely cool. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt and remaining 1 cup of water. Pour brine mixture into yogurt, add lemon juice and stir to combine. 
3. Wash and dry lamb chops. Place lamb in a large, food-safe zip-lock plastic bag and pour yogurt brine mixture into bag. Add the quartered lemon pieces, seal bag and let meat marinate in the fridge for 6 hours (or up to 1 day).
4. Remove lamb from fridge and bring down to room temperature. Discard brine and carefully remove any whole spices that may be lodged in the folds of the meat or in between the bones. Pat-dry any excess brine on the lamb with paper towels and sprinkle with black pepper and rosemary. 
5. Place lamb onto a large roasting pan with the fat side up and cook in a 425ºF (220ºC) pre-heated oven for 15 mins. Then lower temperature to 375ºF (190ºC) and cook for 20 mins, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat reads 140ºF (60ºC), i.e.—medium-rare. 
6. Remove lamb from pan and rest on a cutting board, covered in foil, for 15-20 mins. Cut lamb in between each rib bone and serve immediately.