Persian Rose-Petal Lamb Chops

A very old friend of mine from university is Iranian (or Persian - this can sometimes be a sensitive issue) and aside from the dancing, which I never really got the hang of thanks to an inability to snap my fingers, she introduced me to the very unique world of persian cuisine.

While sharing many elements with neighbours, iranian food mixes much of what you might think of as pakistani/indian cuisine with elements of other middle eastern cuisine. The first dish I ever tried was a wonderful pilaf style rice with dried fruits and nuts (the classic "persian jeweled rice").

Martina isn't all that fond of fruits, but she does love the foundations of many middle eastern cuisines: an abundance of fresh herbs, mint, cilantro, and parsely as a main ingredient, not just a garnish. Persian cuisine takes these and mixes them with other - to our taste - exotic ingredients, such as saffron, tumeric, rosewater, and even dried rose petals. And, of course, pistachios, which she loves.

This lamb dish is a great example, it has a refined yet big flavour; a subtle balance between sweet and sour, the fresh herbs and spices make it a one-bite heaven while the vibrant colours are a feast for the eyes. No grey roast lamb with brownish mint sauce here.

Lamb choppies in general are an Australian staple, a must for every proper barbecue or as Aussies like to call it, a barbie. Any sort of lamb with a bit of burnt crust on it takes me home.

These lamb chops are infused with rose water and also rose petals.  Take some time for this one, as marinating them overnight makes them particularly tender.

We discovered this recipe in Sabrina Ghayour’s book “Persiana”, adapted for the grill here.

Recipe

Feeds 4 people

800g lamb chops

6 tbsp olive oil

5 tbsp dried edible rose petals

1 heaped tsp tumeric

3 tsp ground cumin

3 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp sea salt flakes

3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly

2 tbsp rosewater

Chilli & Herb Drizzle

1 large red chilli, finely chopped

20g cilantro, leaves picked and finely chopped

2 tsp dried mint

Juice of ½ lime

8 tbsp olive oil

sea salt flakes and black pepper

Grind the rose petals with a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. To make the marinade, mix olive oil, spices, garlic and rosewater together in a large bowl. Add the lamb chops and cover them well with the marinade. Ideally you should marinate them in the fridge overnight. If you can’t, marinade for a minimum of 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, make the chilli and herb drizzle. Just combine all the ingredients for the drizzle in a small bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat your barbeque to a very high heat. Grill the lamb chops for 4-5 minutes on each side to get them a little bit charred but not burned.

Alternatively, preheat your oven to the highest temperature possible. Place the lamb chops on a large baking sheet lined with nin-stick baking paper. Roast the lamb in the oven for 20-22 minutes, depending on how well done you like them.

Remove the lamb from your barbeque or oven and generously spread the drizzle onto them. Serve hot with a green salad and some steamed basmati rice or flatbread.