Lamb chops with spicy yogurt sauce made with creamier Greek yogurt, is delicious with a side of steamed spinach.

INGREDIENTS

4 lamb chops, 1 inch thick
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped into small piece
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Add pinch of saffron threads
1/4 teaspoon ground celery seeds*
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup vegetable broth
1-1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
4 tablespoon Greek yogurt**
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 large tomato, remove skin and seeds and dice
1/2 English (seedless) cucumber, diced
Salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Add salt and pepper to flour and dredge lamb chops on both sides. Pat to remove excess flour. Heat olive oil in large heavy skillet and cook chops over medium-high heat until nicely browned on both sides. Remove lamb chops from skillet and set aside, loosely cover with foil to pot keep warm.

In same skillet saute garlic, onion for a few minutes to loose raw flavor of garlic and to wilt the onions. Remove garlic now, if you want to. Add saffron, ground celery seeds, cayenne pepper to skillet, stir to mix. Lower heat and continue cooking until the onion is transparent. Add vegetable broth, stir and bring to a low simmer. Add lamb chops and continue simmering until chops are done. Turn lamb chops as necessary. Remove chops from skillet and keep warm as before. Allow vegetable broth to cool, then use paper towel to remove any fat from the skillet. Add tomato paste to cooled mixture, stir, and heat until mixture is slightly thickened. Return lamb chops to skillet, spooning sauce over chops. Remove from heat and cover skillet.

In separate bowl, blend yogurt, lemon juice, chopped tomato and cucumber (salt and pepper are optional), mix well. Plate lamb chops and spoon sauce from pan over them and serve with yogurt and vegetable mixture.

Serves four.

Hint:
Tumeric can be used if you do not have saffron. It will alter the taste and color ever so slightly. But will still be good.

* Use a spice grinder or a pestle and mortar to grind the celery seeds, if you do not have either, sprinkle a few celery seeds on a hard surface and use the back of a small heavy pot to crush the seeds as fine as you can.
** Greek yogurt is creamier and more flavorful than regular yogurt.