Delicious Lamb Chops Recipe: Perfect Eid Appetizer from Pakistan and India

Lamb chops, sometimes referred to as mutton chops, are a delicious appetizer that are very popular in Pakistan and India during Eid. This dish, which calls for pan-frying succulent, tender chops until they are crispy, is a meat lover’s dream come true. For the ideal pairing, serve them with a cool mint raita dipping sauce.

This famous Indian and Pakistani appetizer, also known as “mutton chaap fry,” is made with mutton chops, which are cut off the goat’s ribs, though lamb can also be used in a pinch.

Although they’re best consumed during Eid ul Azha, these hot mutton chops are a year-round favorite. Even though lamb chops are frequently grilled, you don’t need a grill to cook equally tasty lamb chops at home!

We use entire spices, tomatoes, and onions to make a masala to cook the meat. I like to pressure cook this beef in my Instant Pot because it’s a tough cut. The meat is taken out of the masala and coated with a mixture of grame flour (besan), lemon juice, and tandoori masala once it is around 95% cooked. After that, the chops are pan-fried till crispy and flavourful. Serve with your preferred dipping sauce and squeeze some lemon juice over everything.

Are mutton chops and lamb chops are same?

Lamb meat is obtained from young sheep that are younger than a year old. Conversely, mutton comes from older sheep—roughly two or three years old—than younger animals.

Mutton chops are harder and have a stronger flavour than lamb chops, which are tastier and contain more fat. Mutton chops also become soft and tasty when cooked in a pressure cooker. It is noteworthy that the term “mutton” differs depending on the location. Mutton, as used in Pakistan and India, usually refers to goat meat, not sheep meat.

Why This Recipe Is Effective

• No Marination Required: To make the meat soft, several recipes call for marinating it. But since we’re using an Instant Pot, you can totally omit this step! I make my Mutton Karahi with the same technique, and it always comes out delicious and soft.
• Prepare Ahead: This dish is ideal for prepping ahead of time. Just pressure-cook the chops the evening before and keep them chilled. Toss them in the grame flour mixture and fry till crispy and golden brown, just before serving.
• Ideal Appetizer for Dinner Parties: These chops are a stunning and simple appetizer to serve at family gatherings. They’ll be fun for everyone!

Ingredient notes and substitutions

1. Lamb and mutton chops
2. Gram flour
3. Onion
4. Tomato
5. Yogurt
6. Bay leaves
7. Cinnamon and cloves
8. Cardamoms
9. Ginger and Garlic
10. Spices

Pressure Cooking:

1. Chops: Mutton or lamb will work well. Since lamb was more widely accessible, I utilized it in this dish. Because they are so similar, switching between the two meats is simple.
2. Tomato and Onion: These components make up the foundation masala used to cook the meat.
3. Whole spices: You will need cinnamon, black cardamom, bay leaves, and green cardamom. Any gamey smell in the meat is eliminated by these spices.
4. Garlic and Ginger paste: You can use my homemade paste or one you buy at the supermarket.
5. Yogurt: This enhances the tenderness and moist texture of the meat.
6. Powdered Spices: You will need salt, powdered lal mirch, Kashmiri lal mirch, and crushed cumin and coriander.

Coating and frying:

• 1-2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup grame flour (besan)
• 1 tablespoon of tandoori masala, this is an optional ingredient that gives the chops a wonderful flavor and bright color.
• 1/4 cup of frying oil

How to make mutton chops recipe?

Pressure cooking:

• Heat the oil and switch the Instant Pot to the saute mode.
• Combine all the ingredients, excluding the yoghurt and mutton chops. Cook for 3–4 minutes while stirring.
• Combine the yoghurt and meat, thoroughly mixing.
• Close the instant pot lid after cancelling the sauté mode. Set the sealing mode on the pressure valve.
• Cook under pressure for 15 minutes. Give it 10 to 15 minutes to release naturally. Next, quickly relieve the pressure by venting the pressure valve.
• Take off the cover and inspect the lamb chops. They ought to be 90% cooked through.
• Turn on the sauté mode and continue cooking for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the oil starts to separate from the curry.
• Take them out of the instant pot and set them to cool on a platter.

Coating and frying:

• Using a bowl, combine the grame flour, lemon juice, and tandoori masala until the mixture becomes a paste.
• Using this mixture, coat each mutton chop, being sure to coat it uniformly on all sides.
• Add the mutton chops to a frying pan with hot oil.
• Cook for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until crispy and golden brown.
•  Present with your preferred dipping sauce!

Helpful tips

1: Allow the mutton chaap to come to room temperature before adding the coating. It will therefore be simpler to coat.

2: If you would like not to coat the mutton chops with grame flour, you can dip them into whisked eggs before frying. Toss each piece into the mixture with a fork, whisking just a little bit, then fried it for two to three minutes on each side.

3: Using a bit of coal will help create a smoky flavor.

You will need to put all of the cooked chap into a frying pan in order to accomplish this.
Next, insert a tiny piece of heated coal in the centre of the frying pan and set it on a piece of foil. After adding a few drops of oil to the hot coal, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. For three to four minutes, smoke. Without using a grill, this method gives the chops a flavour similar to barbecue.

FAQS

How are mutton chops tenderized?

To tenderize them, you can pressure cook them or gradually simmer them. Because the pressure cook method is speedier and yields more tender, soft meat, I like to utilize it.

How much time does it take to cook mutton?

Depending on the meat’s quality and cut, cooking in a pressure cooker may take up to 15 minutes. It may take an hour or longer to cook on the hob before it becomes soft.

Serving Suggestions

Sides: You can have roti, poori, naan, mint raita, or kachumber salad with the chaap fry.

Rice: You may also serve them with rice dishes like Matar Pulao, Chicken Pulao, or Beef Biryani.

Turn it into a full meal: Since they can be eaten as an appetiser, you can also serve them with vegetarian dishes like aloo palak and Indian potato curry, or with main dishes like mutton karahi, daal, or achari chicken.