← Nouns Cooking · Chinese

Ingredients

• 500 g boneless lamb leg or rump, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• ½ tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp Sichuan or Korean chilli flakes
• ½ tsp ground Sichuan pepper (optional)
• ½ tsp Sugar
• 4 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
• 15 dried red chillies
• 1 Red onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp Ginger, finely chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, sliced
• 1 handful Coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Method

1. Toss the lamb with the soy sauce, wine, salt and cornflour and leave for 15 min. Mix the spice-mix ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add half the lamb in a single layer and sear for about 2 min, turning once, until browned and crusty. Lift out and repeat with the rest.
3. Add the remaining oil and the dried chillies and stir for 30 seconds until they darken slightly. Add the onion and stir-fry for 2 min until softened at the edges.
4. Add the ginger and garlic, then return all the lamb and sprinkle over the spice mix. Toss hard for 1 minute so every piece is coated and the cumin smells toasty.
5. Turn off the heat, toss in the coriander and sesame seeds and serve with rice or flatbread.

Tips

• Slice the lamb more easily by freezing it for 30 minutes first.
• Sear in batches: a crowded wok steams the meat instead of crisping it.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Omnivore's Cookbook RecipeTin Eats Taste of Asian Food