Cumin-spiced Lamb Chops with Roasted Squash

Tiny cubes of butternut squash – small enough to roast quickly – go golden and crispy in the oven with some hearty chickpeas. Spiced lamb chops and cherry tomatoes are layered on top, and their juices marry together to create a lovely mellow sauce. To finish, I love a generous dollop of lime pickle yoghurt that melts so satisfyingly over everything on your plate.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (about 550g in total) squash, cut into 0.5–1cm cubes
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 300g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2½ tsp garam masala
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground fenugreek
• 8 (about 700g in total) lamb chops
• 300g Greek yoghurt – I use 10% fat
• 2 tbsp lime pickle
• A handful of roughly chopped coriander leaves
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan/gas 7. Chuck the squash into a 30x40cm roasting tin and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Toss together and roast for 10 minutes to start softening the squash.
2. Put the chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of garam masala and a good pinch of salt and pepper into a mixing bowl and toss together. Add to the tray with the squash. Mix well and return to the oven for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, put the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic, the remaining 1½ teaspoons of garam masala, the cumin, fenugreek and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well, then chuck in the lamb chops and mix together.
4. Arrange the chops on top of the squash in the roasting tin and roast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the lamb is cooked on the outside but still pink in the middle.
5. While the lamb cooks, mix the yoghurt with the lime pickle and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
6. Scatter the coriander over the lamb, chickpeas and veg and divide between four serving plates. Serve immediately with big dollops of yoghurt on the side.