Lamb with Cumin & Chilli

Ingredients

• 500g boneless lamb shoulder, sliced thinly across the grain
• For the marinade: 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp cumin seeds
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 10 dried Chinese red chillies, snipped in half, seeds shaken out
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 3 long green chillies, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 3cm piece fresh ginger, finely shredded
• 4 spring onions, cut into 3cm lengths
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp Chinkiang black vinegar
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• Handful of fresh coriander

Method

1. Mix the lamb with the marinade ingredients, including the ground cumin, and leave for 20 minutes.

2. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry wok over a medium heat for about 1 minute until fragrant and lightly crush them.

3. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in the wok over the highest heat. Stir-fry the lamb in 2 batches for 2 minutes each, until browned and almost cooked through. Remove to a plate.

4. Add the remaining oil on a medium heat. Stir-fry the dried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns for 20 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn them.

5. Add the green chillies, garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds, then add the spring onions.

6. Return the lamb with the crushed cumin, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Toss over a high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the lamb is cooked through.

7. Scatter with coriander and serve with steamed rice.