Khasiko (lamb) Choila

One of the most common and popular dishes in Nepal, lamb choila, locally known as Khasiko Choila, is one of the many typical Newari dishes. It is also one of the many ways to prepare lamb in Nepal. For this purpose, all you need is some Nepali spices and do some grilling. The lamb is first marinated and set aside for grilling and after the grilling is done, lamb is garnished with more spices to restore its rich flavor. This mouth wateringly delicious dish is also common in Newari households as well as most of the restaurants and hotels in Kathmandu. Here is a brief on how you prepare Khasiko Choila:



Ingredients:

3 lbs. boneless lamb chops

(For Marinade)

1 tbsp cumin powder

1 tsp turmeric

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

¼ tsp timur (Szechwan pepper)

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp chili paste

1 tbsp garlic paste

1 tbsp ginger paste

1/8 tsp asafetida (hing)

2 tbsp cooking oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Marinade for Choila

3 tbsp cooking oil

1tbsp toasted cumin seeds

5 red chilies, julienned

3 cloves garlic, halved

1 inch sliced ginger

½ tsp turmeric

1/8 tsp asafetida

Salt and Pepper to taste

Garnish

1 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)

10 cloves thinly sliced garlic

2 tbsp mustard oil

½ cup green onions cut in 1 inch length

Procedure:

Take a large bowl and put and mix all the marinating ingredients into a paste. Now, add the lamb chops to the paste and mix to coat thoroughly and set it aside for two hours. Then, smoke-grill the lamb chops until it is thoroughly cooked and after that, cut it into ½ inch cubes.

Now, for the choila marinade, combine cumin seeds, three cloves of garlic, ginger, asafetida and turmeric with one tablespoon oil to make a smooth paste. Use a blender for convenience.

Mix the paste with the grilled lamb cubes, pour two tablespoons of mustard oil in between to coat it thoroughly.

For garnish, heat two tablespoons of oil in a non-stick pan and splitter fenugreek seeds. Let the seeds turn dark, then add sliced garlic and fry it till the garlic turns brown. Pour this over the marinated meat. Now, add green onions and mix it well. Your Khasiko choila or the lamb choila is ready to eat.