When I lived in Delhi I remember visiting the Chor Bizzare restaurant once -- rather kitschy-nice in decor with really good Kashmiri food. As each region of India uses a primary combination of spices in its staple dishes, Indian cuisine on the whole has a rich repertoire of dishes, sharing some basic flavors but on the whole very individualistic.
Kashmiri cooking uses a lot of garam masala and milk, probably to create wholesome nutritious warming dishes suited to the cold climate of the region. This recipe is a delicious way to cook lamb steaks or chops. One of the ingredients used here is 'besan' which is chickpea flour and easily available from any Indian grocery.
The Recipe
8 small lamb chops (or steaks)
1 and a half cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
8 cardamoms bruised slightly to release the flavor
8 whole cloves
a small stick of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
Wash the lamb chops, pat dry. Combine all the rest of the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and put the chops into this liquid, simmer till the meat is tender and the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and keep aside.
Prepare a smooth batter by mixing the following ingredients:
1/3 cup besan
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed cardamom
1/4 teaspoon chillie powder
a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg and tumeric powder
a few powdered cloves (pound them in a mortar or powder them in a spice grinder)
1/3 cup water
Let batter stand for 30 minutes.
Dip the cooked chops one at a time in the batter to coat well on both sides. Shallow fry in hot oil till golden . Serve hot with a green salad and some pickles.
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