Cumin Lamb Xinjiang (Printable Version)
Juicy lamb tossed with a hit of cumin, onion, chili, and cilantro brings big Xinjiang zip to your plate.
# Everything You’ll Need:
→ Lamb Marinade
01 -
450 g lamb leg, cut into small cubes, about 1.5 cm
02 -
15 ml light soy sauce
03 -
15 ml Shaoxing wine or swap for dry sherry
04 -
2.5 g fine sea salt
→ Coating
05 -
30 g cornstarch
→ Spice Mix
06 -
14 g ground cumin
07 -
4 g Korean or Sichuan chili flakes
08 -
2 g sugar, regular kind
09 -
0.5 g Sichuan peppercorns, fresh ground (only if you want)
→ Stir-Fry
10 -
60 ml peanut oil or any light veggie oil
11 -
10 g dried whole Chinese chilies
12 -
1 small white onion, cut in wedges
13 -
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, minced up
14 -
5 garlic cloves, sliced
15 -
25 g cilantro, chopped, leaves and stems
16 -
Sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish (optional)
# Steps to Cook:
01 -
Pile the chopped cilantro on top, then toss everything together real quick. Scoop onto a plate and shake some sesame seeds over if you're into it. Make sure to eat it while it's hot.
02 -
Drop the lamb back into the skillet. Pour your spice blend all over and toss fast so everyone gets a coating. Try a piece and adjust salt if you want it punchier.
03 -
Pour in that last bit of oil. Throw in the chili peppers, ginger, and garlic, and stir till it smells awesome. Dump in onion chunks—once they start to soften, call it good (about a minute).
04 -
Warm up 45 ml oil in a big frying pan over medium-high. Spread out the lamb pieces so none are fighting for space. Let them sit till golden on the bottom, takes about 1 minute. Flip and go for another half a minute to get a little color outside but keep the middles pink. Move to a plate for now.
05 -
Drain off any extra marinade clinging to the lamb. Shake in the cornstarch, tossing the pieces so they all get a light dusting.
06 -
Grab a little bowl and mix cumin, chili flakes, peppercorns, and sugar. Stir until it’s one color. Set it aside.
07 -
Combine lamb cubes, salt, Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry), and soy sauce in a big bowl. Toss everything well and let sit 20 minutes at room temp… or chill in the fridge overnight if you feel like planning ahead.
# Extra Suggestions:
01 -
Got allergies? Just use tamari instead of soy sauce, and dry sherry for Shaoxing wine to skip gluten.