*Spiced Lamb Chops with Roasted  Roots*

Serves 4

This is a very tasty, and mildly spiced dish of lamb and vegetables, all cooked together in one roasting pan.  It looks like a lot of ingredients, but they go together very simply and with everything being banged together into one roasting tin, there's not a lot to clean up afterwards!

2 heaped TBS of tamarind paste
7 fluid ounces of boiling water
4 TBS sunflower oil
12 small new potatoes
6 carrots
3 large parsnips
3 red onions, peeled and quartered
6 cloves of garlic, whole and unpeeled
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black onion seeds (called kalonji or nigella seeds as well)
4 meaty lamb cutlets or chops
coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 220*C/425*F.  Place the tamarind paste in a bowl along with the hot water and sunflower oil, whisking it together well. Whisk in the tumeric, cumin seeds and Kalongi.  Mix together well.  Peel the carrots in cut them half lengthwise.  Peel the parsnips and quarter them.  Remove the tough inner core.  Peel the new potatoes if desired.  Place all the vegetables in a large roasting tin along with the onion quarters and garlic cloves.    Pour the tamarind mixture over top and disperse amongst the vegetables using your hands.  Cover tightly with tinfoil and then bang the pan into the oven and roast them, covered, for half an hour.  Remove from the oven and discard the foil.  Give the vegetables a good stir and then bury the lamb cutlets down into them, making sure they are coated in the juices.  Return to the oven and roast, uncovered, for an additional 40 to 50 minutes, until the chops are cooked and the vegetables are all very tender and gorgeously caramelized on the edges.  (Check once in a while and add a bit more water if need be.)  When done, serve immediately with some crusty bread.