Tingling, Baby: How To Make Cumin Lamb Stir-Fry At Home

12 ingredients
14 steps

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless leg of lamb
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil, toasted
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 3 - 4 Sichuan peppercorns, crushed as best you can
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 - 3 tablespoons peanut oil or toasted sesame oil
  • 5 hot dried red Asian chiles (the little skinny ones)
  • 1/2 cup raw peanuts, optional
  • 1 bunch scallions, cut into 3-inch lengths

Directions

  1. 1
    Place the lamb on a cutting board and slice it into strips as thin as you can manage using a sharp 8- to 10-inch chefs knife.
  2. 2
    (Chilling the meat beforehand will make it easier to slice; place the package from your butcher in the freezer for 20 minutes.)
  3. 3
    If the strips are wider than 1/2-inch, stack them a few at a time and cut lengthwise in half.
  4. 4
    Mix all the marinade ingredients well in a medium bowl and then toss the meat with it, coating thoroughly.
  5. 5
    Its best to allow this to sit overnight, covered, in your fridge, but if you dont have time, let it marinate, uncovered, at room temperature for 1 hour.
  6. 6
    Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat until smoking hot.
  7. 7
    Add 1 tablespoon of oil, then add the chiles and peanuts if using and let them sizzle until they start to blister and take on color.
  8. 8
    Add the meat and stir-fry until just cooked with some browning, about 2 minutes.
  9. 9
    If you need to add more oil to make the browning happen, then add a little more now and cook for 1 minute longer.
  10. 10
    Use a spoon to pull the meat and chiles out of the pan and onto a waiting plate.
  11. 11
    Add more oil to your wok and get it very hot before adding the scallions.
  12. 12
    Stir-fry the scallions just until they turn bright green, about 2 minutes.
  13. 13
    Return the meat and chiles to the pan and toss for a few moments longer, just until everything is hot but not so long that the scallions get mushy, about a minute or less.
  14. 14
    Serve immediately over rice.

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