Tamarind and ginger lamb chop curry (Andhra chintakaya chaap)

Sometimes it’s the simpler dishes that bring out the very best flavours in Indian cooking, and perhaps also help bust the myth that you always need a long list of ingredients to get the right flavour. This Andhra recipe for lamb chop curry is cooked with chilli and sliced potato. For me this is a true representation of Andhra cooking and, once again, shows a varied style from the region beyond fiery hot curries. Tamarind paste varies in strength, so adjust the quantity to get the required tart, sour flavour in the curry.

1 HOUR 30 MINUTES + MARINATING | SERVES 4 | EASY |

lamb chops or cutlets 10-12

ginger root 5cm, blended to a paste

vegetable oil 4 tbsp

white onions 450g, thinly sliced

english mustard powder 1 tsp

mild chilli powder 1/2 tsp

potatoes 125g, sliced

tamarind paste 1 heaped tsp or to taste

coriander chopped, to garnish rotis or parathas to serve

kachumber (chopped salad) to serve

1 Put the chops in a large bowl with the ginger paste and marinate for a few hours or overnight.

2 When you are ready to cook, heat the oil in a large, wide, heavybased pan over a medium heat. Fry the onions for 35-40 minutes or until they caramelise and turn light brown. Stir well, making sure you scrape up anything that sticks to the bottom of the pan.

3 Add the chops and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the mustard and chilli powder, and mix well, then fry for 5 minutes. Add 50ml of water, then season to taste. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over a low heat.

4 Add the potatoes, tamarind paste and 100ml of water, and cook for 12-14 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Add a little more water if needed – you want a very light sauce for the dish. Garnish with coriander and serve with rotis or parathas, and kachumber.

PER SERVING 633 kcals | fat 48.8G saturates 18.9G | carbs 14.5G | sugars 6.9G fibre 3.1G | protein 32.5G | salt 0.3G