Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous
Tangy, lemon lamb chops combine perfectly with the sweet and salty flavours of the couscous to create a summer holiday on a plate!
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories538
- Carbs42g
- Protein31g
- Fat25g
- Saturates11g
- Sugars8.2g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff to know in the blurb!
The tangy, lemony flavour of the sumac in this recipe works really well when paired alongside the sweet pomegranate seeds, acidic red wine vinegar and salty feta in the couscous.
Often used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking, sumac is a spice that is, unfortunately, sometimes overlooked! In reality it’s a really versatile seasoning that’s fantastic for any meat, but in particular lamb.
Author, chef and founder of the fabulous Mowgli Street Food restaurant chain Nisha Katona joined us at PON HQ as a guest on our podcast, The Magic Ingredient. Nisha shared her secrets of success as well as discussing Indian cooking culture and so much more!
You can listen to this episode of The Magic Ingredient here:
We think that these Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous are even more delicious when served with some charred lemons – simply place halved lemons cut-side down on the barbecue or a hot griddle pan for around 5 minutes!
This dish really does taste like a summer holiday on a plate and it’s the perfect weekend, fakeaway treat!
What diets are these Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous suitable for?
This recipe can be made suitable for dairy free diets as long as you swap the following ingredients out for dairy free alternatives:
- Fat free Greek style yoghurt
- Reduced fat feta cheese
Please make sure to double or triple check all of your ingredients if you’re cooking for people with allergies.
How Weight Watchers friendly is this Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous recipe?
- You need to count 18 Points per portion of this Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous recipe if you’re on WW Green.
- You need to count 18 Points per portion of this Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous recipe if you’re on WW Blue.
- You need to count 18 Points per portion of this Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous recipe if you’re on WW Purple.
Do you need any special ingredients to make these Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous?
Sumac is a spice that is often used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking. You should be able to find this in the spice aisle of your local supermarket.
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How many calories are in these Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous?
There are 538 calories per portion in these Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous, which means it falls into our Special Occasion category.
To cut down the amount of calories even more, you can simply halve the portion size and serve with a healthy accompaniment.
These Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous are perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
For the lamb chops
Step 1
Mix all the ingredients (except the lamb) in a non-reactive bowl, then add the lamb chops.
Step 2
Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight (or you can freeze the marinated lamb in an airtight container for cooking at a later date.)
Step 3
About 15 minutes before you wish to serve, take the lamb from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Fire up the barbecue or preheat the grill to maximum.
Step 4
Grill on both sides until cooked – we like ours a bit rare. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chops, but they should take 5-7 minutes on each side.
For the couscous
Step 1
Prepare the couscous according to the packet instructions, adding the vegetable stock cube to the water.
Step 2
Stir all the veg into the couscous, then add the red wine vinegar, pomegranate seeds, chopped mint and parsley and mix well. Season to taste with salt.
Step 3
Divide the couscous among four plates and sprinkle the crumbled feta equally over each portion.
Step 4
Add the lamb chops to the plates alongside the couscous and serve.
What could I serve with these Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous?
This recipe really is a meal in itself, but if you wanted to serve it with an accompaniment then any of the following would work really well:
How do you know when these Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous are cooked?
You should prepare your couscous according to the packet instructions.
The cooking of your lamb chops will vary based on how well you like them cooked, but they should take around 5-7 minutes on each side – we like ours rare, so we go for 5 minutes each side!
Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.
How long can you keep these Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous in the fridge?
Once you’ve put it out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours.
If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.
Can I freeze theses Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous?
We don’t recommend freezing the Rainbow Couscous in this recipe, but you can freeze the Sumac Lamb Chops after they’ve been marinated, but before cooking. Please be sure to do the following:
- Use an airtight container that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label with what it is, and on what date you put it in the freezer!
How do I reheat these Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous?
From chilled: (Sumac Lamb Chops only): Place in a microwave proof container with a loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.
From frozen (Sumac Lamb Chops only): Allow to defrost, and then cook according to the recipe.
The Rainbow Couscous is excellent served cold. It is not suitable for reheating as it will cause the crunchy vegetables to become soggy and the feta to melt.
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Sumac Lamb Chops and Rainbow Couscous
Tangy, lemon lamb chops combine perfectly with the sweet and salty flavours of the couscous to create a summer holiday on a plate!
-
Prep Time
25 MINS
-
Cook Time
15 MINS
- KCals 538
- Carbs 42G
Instructions
For the lamb chops
- Mix all of the ingredients (except the lamb) into a non-reactive bowl, then add the lamb chops.
- Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight (or you can freeze the marinated lamb in an airtight container for cooking at a later date).
- About 15 minutes before you wish to serve, take the lamb from the fridge and allow to come down to room temperature. Fire up the barbecue or preheat the grill to maximum.
- Grill on both sides until cooked - we like ours a bit rare. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chops, but they should take 5-7 minutes each side.
For the couscous
- Prepare the couscous according to the packet instructions, adding the vegetable stock cube to the water.
- Stir all the veg into the couscous, then add the red wine vinegar, pomegranate seeds, chopped mint and parsley and mix well. Season to taste with salt.
- Divide the couscous between four plates and sprinkle the crumbled feta equally over each portion.
- Add the lamb chops to the plates alongside the couscous and serve.
Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?
With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.
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We agreed with Slimming World to remove their trademarked terms from our website
Recipe notes
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4 comments
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Joanne MayTuesday 5th July 2022
Hi I often just do the couscous with the feta for a packed lunch …. What is the calorie count of the couscous thanks in advance …. I double the recipe so I have a few days worth
HollyTuesday 5th July 2022
Hey Joanne, that sounds like a great lunch! To help you work out any nutritional changes to our recipes we have a guide HERE, hope that helps!
EllieThursday 4th February 2021
Heya! For the rainbow cous cous is it 200g of cooked cous cous or 200g uncooked cous cous? Just wondering how the calories are worked out!
Thank you!
HollyThursday 4th February 2021
Hi Ellie, the couscous for this recipe is an uncooked weight. Hope that helps!
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