French Trimmed Lamb Cutlet Pakoras
Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course
Ingredients
For the Lamb:
- 8 x French trimmed lamb cutlets
- 25g plain flour
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 4 x twists of freshly ground black pepper
For the Spice Infused Milk:
- 250ml full fat milk
- 1 x cinnamon stick
- 4 x green chillies, thinly sliced
- 3 x whole cloves
- 6 x black cardamom pods
- 1 x thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, grated
- ½ onion, finely sliced
For the Batter:
- 60g Monalisa's Kitchen Pakora Masala
- 100ml of the spiced infused milk
- Vegetable or sunflower oil for deep frying
Method
To Make the Infused Milk:
1. Put the cinnamon stick, chillies, cloves, cardamom, ginger and onion into a saucepan and pour in the milk.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, making sure that the milk does not boil over. (You will not have the 250ml of milk that you started off with, but do not worry as only 100ml of spiced milk is required for the recipe.)
3. Remove from the heat and set aside for 20 minutes to allow the spices to infuse and the milk to cool.
4. After 20 minutes, strain the milk and reserve 125ml to add to your pakora blend.
To Make the Batter:
1. In a mixing bowl, combine 100ml of the infused milk with the pakora masala and whisk to a smooth, thick batter.
2. If you need a touch more milk, then add a little at a time to achieve the required consistency.
3. Make sure the lamb cutlets have been trimmed of any fat and the bones have been scraped clean – you'll use these as little handles when you eat the cutlets.
4. In a bowl, combine the salt, black pepper and plain flour.
5. Dust the meat in the seasoned flour, then place the cutlets into the batter, keeping the bone batter-free.
6. Spoon the batter over the meat until the meat is totally covered, being careful not to batter the bone. Set aside in the bowl for 20 minutes.
7. Preheat the oil to 170°C. Use a thermometer if you are not using a deep fat fryer. Do not leave the pan unattended.
8. Deep fry four cutlets for 5 minutes. Repeat for the remaining cutlets.
9. Serve with a mint raita and lime wedges.
Notes
✓ For best results, invest in a deep fat fryer.
✓ Never leave a pan of oil unattended.
✓ If you don't have a deep fat fryer, use a pan of oil and a thermometer.
Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 35 minutes | Total time: 65 minutes