Cumin Lamb — Xinjiang Style

Sliced lamb seared in a smoking wok with cumin, chilli flakes and Sichuan pepper, Xinjiang style.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 35 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g lamb leg steaks, boneless, sliced thinly across the grain
  • For the marinade: 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 3 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 tbsp Sichuan chilli flakes (or ordinary dried chilli flakes)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • Large handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Method

  1. Mix the lamb with the marinade ingredients and leave for 20 minutes.

  2. Toast the cumin seeds and Sichuan peppercorns in a dry wok over a medium heat for 1 minute until fragrant. Crush about two-thirds in a mortar, leaving the rest whole.

  3. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in the wok over the highest heat until smoking. Sear the lamb in 2 batches for 1 to 2 minutes each, until browned. Remove to a plate.

  4. Add the remaining oil and stir-fry the onion for 2 minutes until lightly charred.

  5. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and stir for 15 seconds, then return the lamb with the cumin, Sichuan pepper and salt.

  6. Toss over a high heat for 1 minute until the lamb is cooked through and coated in spice. Stir through the coriander and serve with steamed rice or flatbreads.