Essan Roasted Lamb Chops with Basil Potato Mash

Ingredients For lamb chops Lamb chops – 12 Chopped lemongrass – 15gm Chopped garlic – 10gm Rice powder – 10gm Dry red chili flakes – 5gm Oyster sauce – 30ml Fish sauce-10ml Sugar – 15gm Crushed black peppercorns – 5gm For the basil mash Mashed potatoes – 100gm Chopped garlic – 5gm Chopped fresh red chilies – 5gm Basil (tulsi) – 5gm Butter – 10gm Whipped double cream – 15ml Salt – 5gm For the black bean sauce Chopped ginger – 5gm Chopped garlic – 5gm Black bean paste-10gm Sesameoil-2ml Oyster sauce – 5ml Fish sauce – 5ml Dark soya sauce – 5ml Sugar – 10gm Crushed black peppercorns-5gm Chicken stock/water – 15ml Corn flour – 2gm Method 1. Marinate the lamb chops with fish sauce, oyster sauce, and crushed black peppercorns. Refrigerate for two hours in the chiller. Mix the chopped garlic, lemon grass and rice powder. Bread the lamb chops. 2. Preheat the oven for about 10 min at 200 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, heat oil on a tawa and sear the lamb chops on both sides. Arrange the lamb chops on a greased baking tray and set to roast in the oven for 25 minutes. Set aside. 3. Prepare the basil mash. Heat butter in a sauce pan and sauté garlic, onion and red chilies until the onion turns golden brown. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer. Add the basil and the mashed potatoes, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and add whipped double cream and mix well until the potato becomes fluffy. Season with salt. 4. Prepare the black bean sauce. Saute ginger and garlic. Add stock and the black bean paste, oyster sauce and season with fish sauce, dark soya and sugar. Sprinkle with crushed black peppercorns and sesame oil. Thicken with corn flour mixed in water. Strain if required. 5. On the serving platter, put the basil mash in the centre and arrange the lamb chops on it. Dribble the sauce around it. Serve with sautéed asparagus in garlic. Supplement: the Food file (MetroPlus) The Hindu dated july 12 2008.