Saturday, January 21, 2017

Saturday Recipe

Now I just happen to have some lamb so I might try this recipe for tonight.

Crispy Lamb With Cumin, Scallions and Red Chiles

the Dongbei restaurants in Queens, makes an elegant, tender version of a popular Dongbei stir-fry of lamb with dried chilies, made fragrant and crunchy with cumin seeds — a legacy of the nomadic Mongols who long ruled Central Asia, carrying spices on horseback along with their arrows. Lamb is considered a Northern taste and excessively “strong” by many Chinese cooks; it is always cooked
with powerful aromatics, like chili peppers and garlic, to subdue it.

1 Tbs egg white
1 Tbs rice wine or dry sherry
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt, more to taste
½ tsp black pepper
1 lb boneless leg of lamb or lamb shoulder, cut into strips about 1/2 inch by 2 inches
3 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs cumin seeds, lightly cracked in a mortar or grinder
2 Tbs whole dried red chile peppers, about 2 inches long
4 scallions, white and green parts only, cut on diagonal into 1-inch lengths
sesame oil for seasoning

1. In a bowl combine egg white, wine, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add lamb and set aside to marinate 1 hour.

2. Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Swirl half the oil into wok and carefully add lamb, spreading it in a single layer. Let sear a moment, then stir-fry briskly just until lamb is no longer pink. Transfer to a plate. (If your wok is not large enough to hold all the lamb, do this in 2 batches, using extra oil.)

3. Swirl remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil into empty wok, add cumin seeds and chiles and stir-fry a few seconds until cumin seeds start to pop. Press chiles against sides of wok to char their skins.

4. Add scallions and stir-fry 1 minute. Then return lamb to wok and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes more until lamb is cooked through. Turn off heat, sprinkle with salt and drops of sesame oil, and serve immediately.

Source: The New York Times

Have a great weekend
 

4 comments:

  1. Hi Jo - it's interesting that Chinese consider lamb a Northern taste and "excessively strong" ... I know some people who think lamb is too rich ... but it's a delicious meat - especially served with lots of veggie to counter "that excessively strong" taste ... I love cumin - so would happily have this; except perhaps roast lamb, onion sauce, leeks, carrots and some roasted potatoes .... and mint sauce! Nope not on the cards this weekend ... !! Cheers and enjoy whatever meal you serve up .. Hilary

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    1. Yes, I thought so too Hilary. I love lamb and mint sauce but am definitely going to try this recipe today. One thing I have never acquired a taste for is onion sauce. My mother used to make it and the only way I would eat it is drowned with mint sauce!! Maybe I should try it again one of these days.

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  2. I love cumin, but so far have only found the ground cumin. Seeds are what I'm on the hunt for so I can ground my own.

    Love dried chilis. Oh my yum.

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    1. Don't think I have ever seen the seeds Ivy, but you must be able to buy them I think.

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