‹—RAINBOW
ROOT RAITA
SERVES 6 TO 8 (AS A SIDE) /
25 MINUTES
Raita is the original savory yo-
gurt bowl, and in India, it func-
tions as a salad or a condiment.
Throughout my youth, my
parents served chilled bowls of
fresh, creamy yogurt with cu-
cumbers, carrots, beets, or even
smashed boiled potatoes folded
in for a salad with plenty of tex-
ture and character. It was al-
ways one of my favorite parts
of the meal. This raita celebrates
the different colors of root vege-
tables and can be enjoyed either
as a main course (with rice or
flatbreads) or as a side.2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
1 tsp. fine sea salt(^1) ⁄ 2 tsp. ground white pepper
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
(^1) ⁄ 2 tsp. black or brown mustard
seeds
5 to 6 curry leaves, preferably
fresh
(^1) ⁄ 2 tsp. grated peeled fresh
ginger
(^1) ⁄ 2 cup each coarsely shredded
peeled carrots, golden beets*,
and red beets
2 tbsp. thinly sliced green onions
(white and green parts)
- In a large serving bowl,
whisk together yogurt, salt,
and white pepper. Whisk in
just enough water (^1 / 4 to 1 cup)
to make yogurt pourable but
still thick. Taste and adjust
seasoning, if necessary. - In a small frying pan, heat oil
over medium-high heat. Add
mustard seeds and curry
leaves (seeds will sizzle and
pop when they hit the hot
4 lamb loin chops (1^1 ⁄ 4 to 1^1 ⁄ 2
lbs. total; about 1^1 ⁄ 4 in. thick),
fat trimmed to^1 ⁄ 4 in.
1 tsp. ground Kashmiri chiles
(or use ¼ tsp. cayenne and
(^3) ⁄ 4 tsp. sweet paprika)
1 tsp. each fine sea salt and
freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil,
divided
LENTILS
(^1) ⁄ 2 cup red lentils
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
(^1) ⁄ 2 cup finely diced white onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. grated peeled fresh
ginger
2 dried whole Kashmiri chiles
(optional)
LAMB CHOPS with RED LENTILS
SERVES 4 / 1 HOUR
Three of the most popular sources of protein in Indian cuisine are
goat, lamb (mutton), and dal (an umbrella term for split lentils,
peas, and beans). So it’s no surprise that lamb and lentils appear
together in dishes across India. Inspired by tradition, I created
this dish of chops served over a spiced stew of red lentils. A bowl
of plain rice is the ideal accompaniment.
LAMB CHOPS
(^1) ⁄ 2 tsp. each ground cumin,
turmeric, and freshly ground
black pepper
(^3) ⁄ 4 tsp. each dried thyme and
oregano
1 large tomato, diced
(^1) ⁄ 2 tsp. fine sea salt, plus more
to taste
- Start lamb: Pat chops dry
with paper towels. In a small
bowl, stir together ground
chiles, salt, black pepper, and
2 tbsp. olive oil and massage
over chops. Chill at least 30
minutes and up to 1^1 / 2 hours. - Meanwhile, make lentils:
Rinse lentils in a fine-mesh
strainer under cold running
water. Heat
vegetable oil
in a medium
saucepan over
medium-high
heat. Add onion
and sauté until
translucent, 4 to
5 minutes. Add garlic
and ginger and cook, stir-
ring, until fragrant, 30 to
45 seconds. Stir in whole
chiles if using, cumin, tur-
meric, black pepper, thyme,
and oregano and cook
30 seconds more. Add
tomato and cook 2 minutes,
stirring occasionally.- Add lentils,^1 / 2 tsp. salt, and
11 / 4 cups water. Increase heat
to high and bring to a rolling
boil, then lower heat and
cook at a bare simmer, cov-
ered, until lentils are tender,
15 to 20 minutes. Taste and
adjust seasoning, if neces-
sary. Keep warm. - Sauté lamb chops: Heat re-
maining 2 tbsp. olive oil in a
nonstick or cast-iron skillet
over medium-high heat. Add
chops and cook until well
browned on each side (in-
cluding bone side) and inter-
nal temperature registers
145° for medium-rare (12 to
13 minutes). Watch closely at
the end, as the temperature
will rise rapidly. - Pour lentils into a wide serv-
ing bowl and top with lamb.
PER SERVING 661 Cal., 69% (454 Cal.)
from fat; 31 g protein; 51 g fat (16 g sat.);
21 g carbo (4.2 g fiber); 961 mg sodium;
101 mg chol. GF52 OCTOBER 2018 ❖ SUNSET