Lamb marinated overnight in yogurt and spices, grilled over smoke, and served with cooling cucumber raita.
Some of my personal recipes have become part of my memories and stories.
In the early 2000s, I catered a brunch for a family who requested tandoori lamb. I experimented with several recipes before developing the version I liked best. It was especially challenging because I did not have a tandoor oven. Tandoori refers to food cooked in a tandoor, so I improvised with my Weber grill and wood chips to give the lamb smoke and a little char. They loved it, and it became one of my favorite recipes to make for my family or for an event.
I most often prepare it with individual lamb chops, as I did for the brunch. I sear them briefly on the grill to give them color and a little smoke, then finish them in the oven, where I can control the temperature. It is also a practical dish for entertaining because I can grill the chops the day before and finish them just before serving.
Other times, I keep the seven rib racks whole and grill them, as I did for this dinner. The lamb can be roasted in the oven, but I prefer the grill. The smoke and light charring come closest to the flavor of lamb cooked in a traditional tandoor.
I served the lamb medium rare with cucumber raita, Indian spiced sautéed spinach, and simply roasted waxy potatoes.
From My Kitchen
- I used two seven rib racks of lamb and kept them whole for grilling.
- Draining the Greek yogurt created a thick marinade that clung to the lamb.
- I marinated the lamb overnight and massaged the bag once or twice to redistribute the mixture.
- The canola oil is optional. I only add it when the marinade needs loosening.
- I make my own garam masala because every blend is a little different.
- I used my well loved ceramic grating dish for the fresh ginger and garlic so I could keep every bit of their juice.
- The cucumber raita cooled the spices without overpowering the lamb.
- Plain roasted waxy potatoes and sautéed spinach completed the plate.
Tandoori Lamb
Ingredients
- 2 racks of lamb
- 1½ cups whole Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- One 4 inch piece fresh ginger, mashed, with its juice
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon malt vinegar
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- ½ tablespoon ground cumin
- ¼ cup Kashmiri chile powder or gochugaru chile powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground mace
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, only if needed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted, if preparing individual lamb chops
Marinate the Lamb
Drain as much liquid as possible from the Greek yogurt. Wrap it in cheesecloth and squeeze gently.
Combine the drained yogurt with the lemon juice, ginger and its juice, garlic, malt vinegar, garam masala, cumin, chile powder, paprika, mace, coriander, and sea salt. Do not add the canola oil or melted butter yet.
A Kitchen Tool I Love
I used the round ceramic grating dish shown in the photograph to prepare the ginger and garlic. I bought it years ago, and the two little chips show just how often it has been used.
I especially recommend this type of grater for fresh ginger and garlic. It grates them into a fine paste while capturing all the flavorful juice in the bottom of the dish, so none of it is lost.
Using a sharp knife, lightly pierce the racks or individual lamb chops all over, taking care not to cut too deeply.
Place the lamb in a zip top bag and add the marinade. Coat the meat well, seal the bag, and refrigerate overnight. Massage the bag once or twice while the lamb marinates.
Prepare the Lamb for Cooking
Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 45 minutes to 1 hour before cooking so it can lose its chill.
If the marinade is too thick to coat the lamb easily, add the canola oil to the bag and massage it through the marinade. If the marinade is already pliable, omit the oil.
Before cooking, gently remove any especially thick clumps of marinade while leaving the lamb evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper.
For Whole Racks on the Grill
For the best flavor, cook the whole racks on the grill. The smoke and light charring give the lamb the closest result to traditional tandoori cooking that I can achieve at home.
Grill the racks until the internal temperature reaches 125°F.
Transfer the lamb to a board and rest for 15 minutes. The internal temperature should rise to approximately 130 to 135°F for medium rare.
Slice each rack into two rib portions and serve.
Oven Alternative for Whole Racks
The lamb can also be roasted in the oven, although it will not have the same smoky flavor as lamb cooked on the grill.
Preheat the oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan.
Arrange the racks bone side down and meat side up on a wire rack set over a roasting pan. Roast for approximately 22 to 30 minutes, beginning to check the internal temperature after 20 minutes.
Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone. Remove the lamb when the center reaches 125°F.
Transfer the lamb to a board and rest for 15 minutes. The temperature should rise to approximately 130 to 135°F for medium rare. Slice into two rib portions and serve.
For a little more color, place the racks under the grill for 1 to 2 minutes, watching them closely so the marinade does not burn.
For Individual Lamb Chops
Sear each chop briefly on a hot grill, just long enough to mark the outside without cooking it through. The center should still be raw.
To finish the chops immediately, arrange them on a wire rack set over a pan. Drizzle with the melted butter and roast in a 425°F oven until medium rare.
The seared chops can also be refrigerated overnight. The next day, remove them from the refrigerator and allow them to lose their chill. Arrange them on the rack, drizzle with melted butter, and roast as directed.
Homemade Garam Masala
There are many ways to make garam masala. After experimenting with different spices over the years, this is the blend I return to for my tandoori lamb.
You can find my complete Homemade Garam Masala recipe and method here.
Cucumber Raita
The cucumber raita brought a cool, fresh contrast to the deeply spiced lamb.
Ingredients
- 250 grams thick natural or Greek yogurt
- ½ cucumber, grated or finely diced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, optional
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated, optional
- 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
Method
If grating the cucumber, squeeze out the excess water first.
Combine the cucumber with the yogurt, mint, cilantro, cumin, garlic, and lemon juice. Taste for salt and lemon, then refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Indian Spiced Sautéed Spinach
Ingredients
- 300 to 350 grams fresh spinach
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 small shallot or ½ small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- A pinch of gochugaru
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- Salt, to taste
- 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Method
Heat the olive oil in a wide pan. Add the shallot and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Stir in the ground cumin, turmeric, coriander, and gochugaru. Cook briefly, just until fragrant.
Add the spinach in batches, allowing each batch to wilt before adding more. Once all the spinach has wilted, increase the heat slightly and cook until the excess liquid evaporates, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the garam masala, salt, and lemon juice just before serving. The spinach should remain silky but not watery.
What I Served With It
I kept the rest of the plate simple. I roasted the small oven roasted waxy potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
The Indian spiced sautéed spinach added freshness and color, while the cucumber raita balanced the warmth of the marinade.
What to Look For
The yogurt marinade should be thick enough to cling to the lamb. If it becomes too stiff after chilling, a little canola oil will loosen it without thinning it too much.
Pierce the meat lightly so the marinade can reach below the surface, but avoid making deep cuts. Before cooking, remove only the heaviest clumps of marinade. The lamb should still be evenly covered.
Most importantly, use a meat thermometer. Removing the racks at 125°F and allowing them to rest gives the lamb time to reach a warm, medium rare center without overcooking.
Make It Your Own
The lamb can be grilled as whole racks for a dramatic presentation or divided into individual chops for easier serving.
I prefer using the grill whenever possible because the smoke and charring bring the flavor closer to traditional tandoori cooking.
The individual chops are particularly convenient when cooking for guests because they can be seared a day ahead and finished in the oven just before dinner.
What I Learned
- Some of the recipes that mean the most grow through years of repetition.
- Grilling the lamb with wood chips brings it closer to the smoky flavor of traditional tandoori cooking.
- This recipe works well for both family dinners and larger events.
- Grilling individual chops ahead makes the final preparation easier when entertaining.
- A recipe can evolve over time while still carrying memories from an earlier part of my kitchen life.
Liz 'N Lux 