Xinjiang Cumin Lamb (Printable Recipe)
Savory lamb with a cumin kick, chili, onion, and cilantro bring classic Xinjiang zing to your table.
# Ingredients You'll Need:
→ Lamb Marinade
01 -
2.5 g fine sea salt
02 -
15 ml Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
03 -
15 ml light soy sauce
04 -
450 g lamb leg, chopped into 1.5 cm cubes
→ Coating
05 -
30 g cornstarch
→ Spice Mix
06 -
0.5 g freshly ground Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
07 -
2 g granulated sugar
08 -
4 g Sichuan or Korean chili flakes
09 -
14 g ground cumin
→ Stir-Fry
10 -
Toasted sesame seeds for topping (optional)
11 -
25 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
12 -
5 garlic cloves, sliced thin
13 -
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, minced
14 -
1 small white onion, cut into big chunks
15 -
10 g dried whole Chinese chili peppers
16 -
60 ml peanut oil or any mild vegetable oil
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
Throw in plenty of fresh cilantro and give everything a final toss. Dish it out right away and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you want. Keep it nice and hot for the table.
02 -
Pop the lamb back into the pan. Shake the spice mix over the meat and veggies, working fast to get things coated. Give it a taste and put in a bit more salt if you think it's missing something.
03 -
Pour the last 15 ml oil in the pan. Toss in the dried chilis, ginger, and garlic, then stir until you catch a good whiff of those smells. Drop in the onion and cook just until it starts softening, about a minute.
04 -
Warm 45 ml oil in a big frying pan over medium-high. As soon as it’s hot, spread out the lamb so the pieces don’t crowd. Let them sit until the bottom looks golden, about 60 seconds. Flip and cook until the other side is colored a bit and the inside stays pink, another half a minute or so. Move the lamb to a plate.
05 -
Tip off any extra marinade from your lamb. Drop in the cornstarch gradually, making sure all the chunks get a nice, even powdery layer.
06 -
Stir together cumin, chili flakes, sugar, and peppercorns in a little bowl until you’ve got a single color mix. Set this mix aside for later.
07 -
Pile your lamb cubes, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and salt into a big bowl. Give everything a real good mix, then let it sit for 20 minutes at room temp—or stick it in the fridge to kick back overnight.
# Extra Tips:
01 -
If you need it gluten-free, swap tamari for the soy sauce and use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine.