Recently, I discovered that my favorite lamb seasoning from Atkins Farms contains dehydrated alliums, so I wanted to create a tasty sauce to accompany lamb loin chops.
American Lamb Board at the 2015 IFBC presented juicy slices of seared lamb for their “Curriculamb” seminar. I couldn’t have any of the other lamb dish, as it was not gluten free. What’s a Chinese Celiac girl to do?
Tamarind is a common Asian legume that tastes like a tart fruit; in fact, we commonly refer to it as a fruit. It surprisingly meets my occasional craving for soy sauce, as it has both an umami flavor with a fruity undercurrent. Since I cannot have tamari or Bragg’s Amino (I am also allergic to soy), tamarind was an easy substitute after I had finished a round of being on the Autoimmune Protocol to clear up Leaky Gut.
For those on the AIP, legumes are usually restricted until you are asymptomatic. Work with your healthcare professional or AIP knowledgeable dietician if you would like to see if tamarind can work for you.
Lamb with Tamarind Sauce and Pomegranate Garnish
Serves 4
2 Tbsp tamarind paste (Indian grocery stores, or online)
1 Tbsp cooking oil or coconut oil (optional)
2 tsp Lemon juice
2 Tbsp basil, finely chopped
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, pulled from fruit
8 lamb loin chops
Heat pan or grill pan to medium heat. Add oil to coat pan, especially if you do not use a non-stick pan. Sear the lamb on both sides approximately five minutes, then turn down heat and cook until tender.
In a separate bowl combine tamarind paste, half of the lemon, and basil.
Mix thoroughly, and add more lemon if you want a more tart flavor. Place two lamb loin chops on the plate and spoon a small amount of the sauce on top of each piece. Sprinkle a 10-12 pomegranate seeds onto each lamb loin chop.
The pomegranate gives the tart flavor of the tamarind and lemon a small kiss of sweetness.
Those Pesky Pomegranate Seeds!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svhUczFhBMI]
In this short Google Glass video of me dissecting a pomegranate, notice how the pieces are in sections. Lop of the top of the pomegranate with a knife, and then make incisions down the separate section of the fruit from top to bottom. Grab the fruit in both hands and use your thumbs to pull it apart; it will be a little dry and crumble away. You should then be able to remove the seeds from their sections more easily.
Let me know what you think of the sauce on lamb. If you decide to marinate the lamb in tamarind overnight, try cutting the tamarind down with water, mix thoroughly, and soak overnight without the basil. I would try a table spoon of apple cider vinegar instead.
