Best 2 Cumin Lamb Stir Fry Recipes

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STIR-FRIED LAMB WITH CHILE, CUMIN AND GARLIC



Stir-Fried Lamb with Chile, Cumin and Garlic image

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

1 1/2 pounds lamb shoulder
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes, or to taste
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Peanut or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn, to film the bottom of the skillet
1 cup trimmed and roughly chopped scallions, optional
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish, optional

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.

CUMIN LAMB STIR-FRY



Cumin Lamb Stir-Fry image

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

1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
2 teaspoons Sichuan or regular peppercorns
1 pound boneless lamb
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 to 8 dried red chiles (or substitute 1/2 teaspoon or more crushed red pepper)
1 large white onion
1 bunch (about 8) scallions, trimmed
2 tablespoons peanut oil
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese cooking sherry (Shaoxing rice wine) or dry sherry
2 cups fresh cilantro, leaves and stems
Rice, for serving

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

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