Indulge in a culinary journey to the heart of Chinese cuisine with our Crispy Lamb with Cumin, Scallions, and Red Chilies. This tantalizing dish is a symphony of flavors, textures, and aromas that will leave your taste buds dancing. The lamb, marinated in a blend of aromatic spices, is roasted to perfection, resulting in a crispy outer layer and a succulent, juicy interior. The cumin, scallions, and red chilies add a harmonious balance of warmth, pungency, and a subtle hint of heat.
Accompanying this main course, we present a trio of equally delectable recipes:
1. **Chinese Cucumber Salad**: A refreshing and light side dish, this salad combines crisp cucumbers, tangy vinegar, and a touch of sweetness from sugar. Its cooling effect perfectly complements the richness of the lamb.
2. **Stir-Fried Green Beans with Garlic**: Featuring tender green beans, aromatic garlic, and a hint of soy sauce, this simple yet flavorful dish adds a healthy and vibrant element to your meal.
3. **Steamed Jasmine Rice**: A classic accompaniment to many Chinese dishes, steamed jasmine rice provides a soft and fluffy base that absorbs the delectable sauce from the crispy lamb, creating a harmonious bite.
CUMIN LAMB STIR-FRY
Fragrant, intense and full of fiery chile, this lamb stir-fry isn't for the timid eater. For the most authentic flavor, it's worth your while to seek out Sichuan peppercorns, which have a woodsy, tongue-numbing, camphor quality. (They are available at specialty spice markets, in Chinatown, or online.) You can substitute regular black peppercorns, but you won't get the same punch. If you're not a lamb-lover, you can also try this with lean beef. Serve this over white or brown rice to cut the heat, with a side of sliced cucumbers dressed with sesame oil and salt for freshness.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, main course
Time 35m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast cumin seeds and peppercorns until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and crush lightly.
- Slice meat across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Toss meat with crushed spices, ground cumin, salt and dried chiles.
- Peel onion and halve it through the root end. Trim the ends and cut each half lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut white and light green parts of scallions into 2-inch lengths. Thinly slice scallion greens; keep separate.
- Heat a very large skillet or wok over high heat until screaming hot, about 5 minutes. Add oil. Toss in onion and the scallion bottoms. Cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are lightly charred but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add lamb and chiles to skillet. Cook, tossing quickly, until meat begins to brown. Add garlic, soy sauce and sherry. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and lamb is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Toss in onions and scallion bottoms. Remove from heat and mix in cilantro and scallion greens. Serve hot, over rice.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 851, UnsaturatedFat 41 grams, Carbohydrate 10 grams, Fat 86 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 41 grams, Sodium 496 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams
CRISPY LAMB WITH CUMIN, SCALLIONS AND RED CHILES
Dongbei cai is the food of Northeast China. Weiliang Chen, the chef at Northeast Taste Chinese Food, the biggest of 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.
Provided by Julia Moskin
Categories dinner, easy, quick, weekday, one pot, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a bowl combine egg white, wine, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add lamb and set aside to marinate 1 hour.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 379, UnsaturatedFat 20 grams, Carbohydrate 4 grams, Fat 30 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 22 grams, SaturatedFat 8 grams, Sodium 367 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 0 grams
CRISPY LAMB WITH CUMIN, SCALLIONS AND RED CHILIES
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a bowl combine egg white, wine, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add lamb and set aside to marinate 1 hour.
- 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.)
- Swirl remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil into empty wok, add cumin seeds and chilies and stir-fry a few seconds until cumin seeds start to pop. Press chilies against sides of wok to char their skins.
- 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.
STIR-FRIED LAMB WITH CHILE, CUMIN AND GARLIC
Start with lamb shoulder; leg is not lean or tender enough for this treatment. You can use loin if you prefer, but the dish will cost at least 10 times as much and it won't be any better. Marinate it dry (or nearly so; I use a little soy sauce, for complexity) for as long as you like - 10 minutes, an hour, a day. The flavor will get a little stronger, though not much. More important than the length of time is the freshness of your cumin. You absolutely need cumin seeds, not ground cumin. It's worth the two or three minutes it takes to toast the seeds before marinating the meat. You can grind them if you like, but I like the little bit of crunch the seeds add.
Provided by Mark Bittman
Categories dinner, easy, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Cut lamb into 1/2-inch cubes (easier if meat is firmed in the freezer for 15 to 45 minutes). Toast cumin seeds in dry skillet over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant, a minute or 2. Toss together lamb with cumin, chili, garlic, soy sauce, a large pinch of salt and a healthy grinding of pepper. If you like, cover and refrigerate until ready to cook, up to 24 hours.
- When ready to cook, put a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet (ideally, it will hold the lamb in one layer, or nearly so) and turn heat to high. When hot, add lamb. Cook, undisturbed, for about a minute, then stir once or twice to loosen lamb from skillet. Cook another minute, then stir again. Add scallions, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions glisten and shrink a bit and the meat is about medium.
- If you want a slightly saucier mixture, stir in 1/4 cup water and cook another minute. Serve hot over rice, garnished, if you like, with cilantro.
Tips:
- To achieve crispy lamb, it's important to use a high-quality cut of meat and to marinate it for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This will help to tenderize the meat and allow the flavors to penetrate.
- When searing the lamb, be sure to use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or wok. This will help to create a nice crust on the meat.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when searing the lamb. This will cause the meat to steam instead of sear.
- Be sure to cook the lamb over high heat. This will help to create a crispy crust and prevent the meat from becoming tough.
- Once the lamb is cooked, let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. This will help to keep the juices in the meat.
- Serve the lamb with a variety of dipping sauces, such as tzatziki sauce, mint sauce, or a spicy chili sauce.
Conclusion:
This crispy lamb with cumin, scallions, and red chilies is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for any occasion. The lamb is tender and juicy, with a crispy crust that is full of flavor. The cumin, scallions, and red chilies add a nice depth of flavor to the dish. This recipe is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
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