Air-fried lamb chops with Chinese yam and carrot
Lamb chops marinated in ginger juice and black pepper, air-fried with yam and carrot — crisp outside, juicy inside, ready in about 20 minutes.
- 35 min
- Serves 3
- Air-fry
- Easy
Why it suits you: Yang Deficiency means feeling the cold, with cold hands and feet, and Start of Winter is the time to warm the kidneys. Lamb warms the body, ginger and pepper dispel cold and yam supports the spleen and kidneys; Hong Kong's winter is mild, so the lettuce keeps it from being too heating.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min- 1Pat the lamb chops dry and marinate with the ginger juice, garlic, soy sauce and black pepper for 15 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.
- 2Wearing gloves, peel the yam; cut it and the carrot into thick sticks, toss with a little oil and salt and air-fry at 200°C for 8 minutes.
- 3Push the vegetables to one side, add the chops and air-fry at 200°C for another 8–10 minutes, turning once, until browned outside and just pink in the middle.
- 4For well done, give them 2 more minutes. Rest the chops for 3 minutes before cutting so the juices stay in.
- 5Meanwhile blanch the lettuce in boiling water for 1 minute, drizzle with a little oil and serve with rice and the lamb.
Cautions
- Skip the lamb during a cold or fever, or when you have a sore throat or mouth ulcers.
Chef's tips
- Thaw frozen chops overnight on the bottom shelf of the fridge for the most tender result, and always pat them dry before cooking.
- No air fryer? Roast at 220°C for 15–18 minutes, or pan-fry for 3 minutes on each side.
The TCM view
Lamb is sweet and warm and warms the middle and the kidneys; Chinese yam is sweet and neutral and supports the spleen, lungs and kidneys; carrot is sweet and neutral and aids digestion; ginger and black pepper are pungent and warm and dispel cold; lettuce is sweet and cool and offsets the dryness of roasting. Warming without overdoing it.
