DECONSTRUCTED LAAL MAAS

The word "deconstructed" is not new to western cuisine , although it has developed recent significance when it comes to Indian cuisine owing to the wide popularity of culinary shows being aired on the indian electronic media , also food and cuisine awareness in india has picked up a fast paced momentum in the last few years , the concept has led me quite confused and after a through research on the intricacies of deconstructed dishes , the best way i can put it across is that it means breaking down the components of a dish analytically so that when you put the individual broken down components together , you experience the same flavour palate of the original dish. To me it essentially means adding a different  dimension to an existing dish to offer a new perspective , most of my recipes are inspired by my significant other's innovative ideas, this also being his brainchild to do the laal maas ( Red curry ) in a deconstructed way . Laal maas is one of my favourite indian mutton curries being native to the state I've grown up in , the dish derives its name not only from its colour but also the fiery hot taste of the chillies that are the core ingredient of the dish .  

INGREDIENTS :

• 500 gms Lamb/mutton Chops 
• 2 red onions , finely chopped 
• 4-5 Garlic cloves , sliced finely 
• 2 Tbsp Red chilli Paste 
• 1 1/4 Tsp Garlic Paste 
• 3/4  Cup Yogurt 
• 6 Tbsp Ghee( Clarified butter )
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 green cardamoms 
• 1 1/2 black cardamom 
• 1/4 inch stick cinnamon 
• 1/2 Tsp cumin 
• 3 Broken dry red chillies
• 5 Crushed red chillies 
• 1 Tbsp coriander powder 

METHOD:

• RED CHILLI PASTE:  In a food processor, grind well 4 Red dry chillies , one Tbsp oil , 2 Tbsp water .
• MARINADE: To marinade the chops , in a vessel mix the red chilly paste ,1/2 cup yogurt , garlic paste and salt to taste , coat the chops well , cover it with cling film and refrigerate for 2-4 hours , tastes best if left overnight .
• CURRY: For the curry , add 3 Tbsp of ghee (clarified butter) allow it to heat , add on the bay leaves , all the dry spices , crushed chilli , slices of garlic , fry them well for about a minute , do not over cook them as they tend to burn very fast and have a foul taste .
• Add in the onions and cook until golden brown , add in the coriander powder and cook for 1-2 minutes .
• Add in 1/4 cup of yogurt and 1/4 cup of water , stir well and lid it , cook it for 3-4 minutes and remove from heat and keep it aside .
• COOKING THE CHOPS:  Ideally to get the best flavour of lamb in this particular dish would be to cook it on an open charcoal grill , but it gets difficult to do it often and grilling is a slow process . To have it done quickly I usually pan cook the chops , Add in the remaining 1.5 Tbsp of ghee for 1 lot of chops as its not advisable to crowd the pan , I cooked 500 gms in 2 batches . On medium flame cook the chops for 7 minutes on each side or until cooked through for a well done flavour , if you prefer it being medium , cook it for 5 minutes on each side . 
• PLATING: you could plate the dish as per your preference , serve the chops on a platter and the curry as a dip , with chapati or rice .