Lamb Tikka Masala

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 40 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

3 pounds lamb meat (loin chops or shoulder chops)

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons tandoori masala spice blend*

3 tablespoons garlic paste (divided)

3 tablespoons ginger paste (divided)

2 teaspoons salt (divided)

2 tablespoons ghee (or butter)

1 large onion (chopped)

15 ounce can tomato sauce

1 cup heavy cream

1-2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons cilantro

Directions

Marinade the Lamb: Cut the lamb chops into 1 inch pieces, removing all bones. Place the lamb chunks in a large bowl. Add the Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon of tandoori masala spice, 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 1 tablespoon ginger paste, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well to coat the lamb in this yogurt marinade. Then set the meat aside for at least 30 minutes. (If you want to marinade it longer than 30 minutes, cover the bowl and place the lamb in the refrigerator.)

Start the Sauce: Set a large 6-8 quart sauce pot over medium heat. Add the ghee to the pot. Once melted, add in the chopped onion, 2 tablespoons garlic paste, 2 tablespoons ginger paste, 2 tablespoons tandoori seasoning, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes to soften the onions. Pour the tomato sauce into the pot. Stir well and allow the sauce to simmer on medium-low for several minutes.

Sear the Lamb: Once the lamb pieces have had time to marinade, set a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, sear the lamb chunks in the skillet for 2 minutes per side to seal in the flavor. Then move them to the tomato sauce and repeat until all the lamb meat has been seared.

Simmer: Cover the pot and simmer the lamb curry for 30 minutes, or until the lamb is fork-tender. Stir the curry every 5 minutes to make sure the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. If your lid isn't very tight, the sauce may reduce down a little too much. If needed, add ¼ – ½ cup of water to the pot.

Once the lamb is fork-tender stir in 1 cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of lime juice. Taste, then add additional lime juice if needed. Simmer another 3-5 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro and served warm with naan, basmati rice, and a side of raita!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 544 kcal
• Total Fat: 32 g
• Saturated Fat: 17 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
• Trans Fat: 0.002 g
• Cholesterol: 207 mg
• Sodium: 1286 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 11 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 6 g
• Protein: 52 g