Grilled Lamb Tikka

    Lamb marinaded in a spicy yogurt sauce and grilled to a perfect medium rare.

    Ingredients

    • 1 Amerian Leg of Lamb
    • 1 Cup Yogurt
    • 2 Tablespoons Cumin
    • 1 Tablespoon Garam Masala
    • 1 Tablespoon Turmeric
    • 1/4 Cup Honey
    • 1 Lemon (juice)
    • 1 Tablespoon Chile Flake
    • 1 Onion (diced)
    • 2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
    • 1 Inch Ginger (grated)
    • 1 Tablespoon Curry Powder
    • 1 Jalapeno (diced)
    • 14 Ounces Canned Diced Tomato
    • 1 Can Chickpeas (strained and rinsed)
    • 1/2 Head Cauliflower (chopped)
    • 1 Cup Yogurt
    • 1/2 Clove Garlic (grated)
    • 15 Leaves Mint (chopped very small)
    • 1 Tablespoon Chopped Chives
    • 1 Lemon
    • 1 Tablespoon Honey
    • Plenty of salt and pepper
    • Serve with rice!

    Instructions

    1. The lamb leg usually comes in a net rolled up. Take the net off and unroll it. Find the larger chunks, there should be 4 of them. Butcher them out with a knife to form 4 mini roasts. They are about the size of a large chicken breast.
    2. Mix all the rest of the ingredients. Place the lamb into the marinade along with plenty of salt. Mix well and set aside for at least 4 hours or overnight.
    3. Mix all the ingredients. Allow to sit in the fridge for an hour at least before serving.
    4. Cook the onion in some butter with salt for about 10 minutes.
    5. Add in the garlic, ginger, jalapeno, and curry powder. Cook 2 minutes.
    6. Add in the tomatoes, cauliflower, and chickpeas. Stir well and cover. Simmer about a half hour stirring occasionally until the cauliflower is tender.
    7. Grill the lamb to a medium rare. Allow to rest a good 15 minutes. Slice against the grain into thin slices. Serve over rice along with the chickpea mixture and the raita.

    Notes

    This post is sponsored by American Lamb

    I have been craving grilled meat with rice and a yogurt sauce for weeks. I had it at a Greek restaurant but even though it was really good it didn’t exactly hit the mark to kill the craving. As usual I took matters into my own hands to cook exactly what I wanted to eat. I made this grilled lamb tikka with a mint raita and a spicy chickpea and cauliflower masala and it was just what I needed. It’s been great being able to bust out the grill so early in the season!


    The marinade for the lamb.

    I like to take a whole boneless leg of lamb and trim it into these cuts that are similarly sized to chicken breasts. I usually save the rest of the leg for braising or stewing (as you will see with some lamb chili I will post next week). As you roll out the leg it’s pretty visible which parts are nice and lean and which areas are fatty and better for braising. You don’t have to be an expert butcher to cut out these mini roasts. Once you cut them out, place them into the yogurt marinade.

    This is for the chickpea mixture. Just some onions cooking in butter. Add curry powder, garlic, chiles, and ginger after they are lightly browned.

    Chickpeas, cauliflower, and tomatoes in the pot.

    Meanwhile, the lamb goes on the grill. You can see I was also keeping the rice warm and cooking the chickpeas all on the grill!

    Perfectly cooked lamb.

    Then just put everything out onto this amazing spread and tuck in!

    Lamb is an Easter favorite, but it doesn’t mean you have to cook it in the traditional way. Make something new like this lamb tikka and your family will love it!

    The raita is just yogurt, mint, chives, garlic, and lemon.

    I like to slice the lamb before serving it because you are able to slice it against the grain to ensure maximum tenderness.

    Check out the American Lamb Board’s Spring Hub for more great lamb ideas!