Amritsari Tandoori Lamb Chops with Mint-Coriander Chutney

1. 01

   Pat and score the chops

   Dry the lamb chops thoroughly with paper towels — moisture is the enemy of a good char. Score the fat cap in a crosshatch, cutting just through the skin without hitting meat. This helps the fat render and lets the marinade seep in. You're looking for pieces that feel firm and smell grassy-sweet, not old.

   ~5 min
2. 02

   Build the marinade

   Whisk yoghurt, kashmiri chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, and the juice of 2 limes in a bowl until smooth and coral-pink. Taste it — you want heat that makes you blink, not weep. The yoghurt should smell tangy and clean, the garlic sharp. Season with a pinch of salt.

   ~5 min
3. 03

   Marinate the lamb

   Coat each chop thoroughly in the marinade, working it into the score marks. Lay them in a baking dish, cover with cling film, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight if you have time. The longer they sit, the deeper the flavour goes — the acid in the yoghurt tenderizes the meat from the outside in.

   ~10 min
4. 04

   Make the pickled onions and chutney

   Slice the red onions into thin rings, place in a bowl, and pour over 2 tbsp lime juice, a pinch of salt, and a splash of water. Let them sit for 10 minutes — they'll soften and turn a deeper pink. For the chutney: blitz the coriander, mint, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, a green chilli if you have one, the juice of 1 lime, and a pinch of salt until it's bright green and loose. You want it coarse enough to see the leaves, not a smooth paste.

   ~10 min
5. 05

   Heat your cooking vessel

   If you have a tandoor, light it 45 minutes ahead. If not, get a cast-iron skillet or grill pan smoking hot over a high flame — you need real heat, not a gentle persuasion. The pan should be so hot you can barely hold your hand above it for a second. This is where the magic happens: the outside chars, the inside stays rosy.

   ~10 min
6. 06

   Cook the chops — no fussing

   Remove the chops from the fridge 10 minutes before cooking. Lay them on the hot surface — you'll hear a sharp sizzle, which is exactly right. Leave them alone for 3–4 minutes until the underside is charred to almost black, with little honeycomb bubbles of fat. Flip once, cook for another 3 minutes for medium-rare. They should feel springy when you press them, not hard and bouncy. If using a tandoor, skewer them vertically and turn every 2 minutes until the edges are blistered and the inside is warm but still pink.

   ~8 min
7. 07

   Rest and plate

   Transfer the chops to a warm plate and let them rest for 3 minutes — this keeps the juices locked in. Pile the pickled onions to one side, dollop the chutney to the other, and serve while the chops are still hot enough to make the yoghurt sizzle slightly on the plate.

   ~3 min

First bite: the char is crisp and slightly bitter, the meat underneath still pink and juicy, with a gentle smoke. The yoghurt marinade has sunk deep, adding a subtle tang and a creamy crust. The pickled onion hits you next — sharp, vinegary, cutting straight through the fat. The mint-coriander chutney comes last, herbaceous and cool, grounding everything. By the last chop, your fingers are sticky with rendered fat and spice, and you're reaching for the lime to squeeze over the charred bits.

• ·Don't skip the overnight marinade — it's the difference between good and unforgettable.
• ·If the chops stick to the pan, they're not ready to flip yet; be patient.
• ·Make the chutney fresh every time; it oxidizes quickly and loses its bright green colour and peppery punch.
• ·Leftover chops are excellent cold the next day with a squeeze of lime and a torn piece of naan.