African spiced lamb with garlic-yoghurt dressing

for 2 people

NZ Herald

By Paul Jobin

Ingredients

1 tsp	Coriander seeds
1 tsp	Cumin seeds
3 ml	Cardamom pods, seeds removed
1 tsp	Smoked paprika
4 tsp	Honey, at room temperature
1 to drizzle	Olive oil
200 g	Lamb fillets, trimmed of silverskin
½ cup	Yoghurt
1	Lemon, 1/4 juiced
2	Garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tbsp	Water
2 Tbsp	Mint leaves, chopped
1 to taste	Salt & freshly ground pepper

In a mixing bowl filled with cold water, soak the whole seeds for 10 minutes.
Strain, tip into a saute pan and stir over a high heat until fragrant.
Place in a coffee/spice grinder along with the lemon pepper and smoked paprika and blitz until smooth. Tip into a mixing bowl with the honey and olive oil and mix well.
Coat the lamb with the spice mixture and refrigerate.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl or small food processor, blitz the yoghurt, lemon, water, garlic, mint and seasoning.
In a hot saute pan, add a little high-heat oil and sear the lamb fillets all over for two minutes, then rest for four minutes on a wire rack. Slice and serve with couscous, tomatoes, asparagus and mesclun.
Place a dollop of the yoghurt sauce on top.