Marinated lamb chops with a coriander and mint vinaigrette
These Asian-style lamb chops look great on the plate with the vibrant coriander and mint vinaigrette served alongside.
Ingredients
For the marinated lamb chops
- 225ml/8fl oz mushroom soy sauce
- 225ml/8fl oz mirin
- 600g/1lb 5oz lamb chops
- Asian-style salad of rocket, grated daikon and grated carrot, to serve
For the coriander and mint vinaigrette
- 30g/1oz pickled ginger
- 75ml/2½fl oz vinegar from the pickled ginger
- 1 tsp chilli paste
- 1 free-range egg yolk
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 250g/9oz coriander leaves
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú mint leaves
- 225g/8oz sunflower oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Hunan-style sauce
- 75ml/2½fl oz light soy sauce
- 75ml/2½fl oz dark soy sauce
- 75ml/2½fl oz mushroom soy sauce
- 50ml/2fl oz sunflower oil
- 60g/2¼oz sambal sauce
- 200g/7oz sugar
- 75ml/2½fl oz Shaoxing rice wine
- 75ml/2½fl oz rice vinegar
- 120²µ/4½´Ç³ú cornflour
For the Hunan-style aubergine
Method
For the marinated lamb chops, mix the soy and mirin together. Place the lamb chops in a non-metallic bowl and pour the marinade over. Marinate for at least 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the coriander and mint vinaigrette, blend the pickled ginger, ginger vinegar, chilli paste, egg yolk and sriracha in a food processor until smooth. Then add coriander and mint leaves and blend again. Slowly pour in sunflower oil and sesame oil to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper and set aside in the fridge.
For the Hunan-style sauce, combine the three soy sauces. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the sambal sauce. Cook for about 15 seconds and stir in the sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved, stir in the soy mixture. Deglaze with the Shaoxing wine and rice vinegar.
Cook for about 30 seconds and add 150ml/5fl oz of water. Bring to a boil and simmer. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Thicken to the consistency of a sauce with the cornstarch and 240ml/8½fl oz of water.
Preheat a deep-fat fryer. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Dust the aubergine with the cornflour and fry in the fat fryer until tender and golden. Remove from the fat fryer and leave to drain on plates lined with kitchen paper.
Place the aubergine slices in a bowl and drizzle over the Hunan-style sauce. Scatter over the mangetout and crispy garlic.
Preheat the grill to medium-high and then cook the lamb chops for 2–3 minutes on each side. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.
To serve, dot the coriander vinaigrette on each corner of four plates. Slice the lamb in half in the middle of the bone and serve on each plate. Drizzle the Hunan-style sauce over the top and serve with the salad and aubergine.
