Gordon Ramsay’s Tandoori Lamb Salad

My family loves Indian food and this dish covers off all the flavors we enjoy tasting. This salad is served as a main course at Gordon Ramsay’s, The Boxwood Cafe. It’s such a simple meal to make, packed with vitamins and looks good, too. Lamb is a good source of protein, zinc (immune function) and vitamin B12 (supports production for red blood cells). For more health benefits, click here.

Serves 6
recipe from BBC Olive magazine

6 pieces lamb loin fillet (about 150g each), trimmed of sinew
1/2 cucumber, finely diced
1 mango, peeled and finely diced
small bunch of coriander, chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
olive oil for dressing salad
6 handfuls salad leaves

Tandoori Marinade
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
6 tablespoons yogurt
1 garlic clove, crushed
2cm ginger, grated
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1/2 lemon juiced (reserve the rest for dressing salad leaves)

For the marinade, in a bowl mix all ingredients together and add the lamb. Make sure the lamb is completely covered in the marinade and then transfer to a ceramic or glass dish, cover and leave to marinade in the fridge. It’s best to marinade overnight or for at least a few hours.

Heat the grill to medium and put a grill tray under the heat. Once hot, add a splash of olive oil and lay the fillets in the tray (shake off any excess marinade). Grill for 7 minutes on each side or until just cooked. Reserve a bit of the liquid that has collected in the tray for the mango and cucumber salad. Leave the lamb to rest for 5 minutes while you get the plates ready.

For the salad, combine cucumber and mango in a bowl. Add the coriander, mint and reserved cooking liquid. Make the dressing by adding the balsamic vinegar and sesame oil to the bowl, then mix everything together.

Spoon the mango and cucumber salad onto each plate. Slice each piece of lamb horizontally into 5 and put the slices on top of the salad. Dress the salad leaves with olive oil and lemon juice and add a small handful to the center of each plate.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: There’s something pleasurable to be had when a recipe from a famous chef turns out perfectly in amateur hands! I used the cooked liquid from the lamb and tossed with the salad leaves and also grated a bit of lemon zest onto the leaves. Delicious!