CHOPS CHUTNEY

 

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This Indian Food Recipe Serves 2-3

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Chops chutney is a flavorful Indian dish prepared with lamb or mutton chops in a tomato based sauce. It is prepared with new herbs & flavors. Presented with either rice, roti or bread, it is a snappy & simple to get ready dish that utilizes common ingredients in your pantry. Chops Chutney has been prepared for centuries in the Indian homes of South Africa.

If you do not want to steam the chops as per the recipe below then you may marinate the chops & grill them in the oven or fry them as is. I chose to steam them first as this is how my maternal grandmother & my mum prepares it – & trust me when I say that there is a difference is flavour! Sometime’s if I’m in a hurry, I usually pop them into the oven without steaming & it is good but not as good as the below method.

Chops Chutney Ingredients:

• 6-8 pieces of lamb/mutton chops
• 1 onion, slivered
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (manja)
• 6 jam tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon cumin (jeera) powder
• fresh coriander (dhania) for garnishing
• 1 teaspoon coriander (dhania) powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger & garlic paste
• 4 green chilies, slit
• 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
• 100 ml water
• 5 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 sprig thyme

Method:

1. Rinse chop pieces & place into a bowl.
2. 
3. To the chops, add in salt to taste, garam masala, dhania (coriander) powder, cumin (jeera) powder, turmeric powder, ½ tablespoon chili powder & ginger & garlic paste.
4. 
5. Mix well using your hands.
6. 
7. Add the chops to a pot & place on the stove top on medium-high heat.
8. 
9. Pour in 100 ml water & 1 tablespoon oil. Spread the chops out so that they don’t cluster together.
10. 
11. Cover with a lid & allow to steam for ±10 minutes.
12. 
13. After steaming the chops, the water should have evaporated.
14. 
15. Pour in 2 tablespoons of oil.
16. 
17. Allow the chops to fry until browned.
18. 
19. Once the chops have browned, remove from the pot & set aside onto a plate.
20. 
21. Peel & sliver the onion.
22. 
23. Rinse & slit the green chilies.
24. 
25. Rinse & grate or blend the tomatoes.
26. 
27. In the same pot that the chops were fried in, heat another 2 tablespoons of oil on medium heat & add in the onions, green chilies, curry leaves & thyme. You may use another pot if preferred but why let all that meat flavour go to waste?
28. 
29. Mix & allow to simmer until onions are translucent.
30. 
31. Thereafter, add in 1 tablespoon chili powder.
32. 
33. Mix well.
34. 
35. Add in the grated or blended tomatoes.
36. 
37. Mix well.
38. 
39. Cover with a lid & allow the tomatoes to cook for ±10 minutes.
40. 
41. Once the tomatoes have cooked, add in the sugar, salt to taste & the fried chops.
42. 
43. Mix well.
44. 
45. Simmer for 5 minutes.
46. 
47. Turn off the heat.
48. 
49. Garnish with fresh dhania (coriander).
50. 
51. Plate & serve.
52. 
53. 
54. This Chops Chutney goes well with bread, rice or roti.
55. 
56. 
57. Stores in the refrigerator for up to a week.
58.