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Meat Your Maker

Although high in saturated fat, lamb is a very good source of protein, providing 60.3 per cent of the daily value for protein along with 21.1 per cent of the DV for saturated fat in 4oz (113g).

For a quality cut of lamb, look out for these signs. “Purchase lamb that is pink in colour and firm when you press it. Its texture should also be fine,” says George Mateljan, author of The World’s Healthiest Foods. “Any fat surrounding or marbled throughout the lamb should be white, not yellow.”

Lamb can be pan-fried, roasted and cooked into a stew with spices and vegetables. It requires less cooking time than tougher meats like beef.

Lamb Vindaloo (Makes 2 portions)

You Need:
500g leg of lamb, cut into cubes
1 large potato, cubed
20g shallot onions
20g ginger/garlic paste
2 onions, julienned

You Also Need (For paste):
20g ginger
20g garlic
50ml white wine vinegar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cloves
2 tsp black cardamom seeds
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
3 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
14 red chillies
2 tsp red chilli powder
2 onions, chopped
80ml olive oil
Salt to taste

You Do:
1. Cook the leg of lamb along with ginger/garlic paste, juliennes of onion and half the quantities of cardamom and cloves in a frying pan. Set aside, reserving the juices that emerge from the lamb.

2. With skins still on, roast the shallot onions in a preheated oven (200 degrees Celsius) for 20 minutes.

3. To make the Vindaloo spice paste, soak the red chillies in vinegar along with the fenugreek seeds, cloves and cardamom and roasted shallots. Blend into a fine paste.

4. Heat oil in a frying pan, add the chopped onions and sweat for 5 minutes. Add the ginger/garlic paste, turmeric and chilli powder. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Once the oil begins to separate from the spices, add the spice paste. Cook for 10 minutes until fragrant. Add the cooked lamb and potato cubes. Cook until both are well done. Add a fried red chilli to garnish.

Per Serving:
485 calories, 34g carbohydrates, 63g protein, 26g fat, 8g fibre, 990mg sodium.

From Dec 2008 issue of Men's Health Singapore