Xinjiang Cumin Lamb

Method

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1. Toss the lamb with the cornflour, Shaoxing wine and soy sauce and leave 20 minutes.

   Mark done

2. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry wok over medium heat for 90 seconds until fragrant, then tip out and lightly crush half of them.

   Mark done Start 90 sec timer

3. Heat the wok until it smokes, add half the oil, and lay in half the lamb in a single layer. Leave it undisturbed for 90 seconds to sear, then toss for 60 seconds and remove.

   Mark done Start 90 sec timer

4. Repeat with the second batch and the remaining oil.

   Mark done

5. Add the onion to the wok and fry 2 minutes over high heat until charred at the edges but still crunchy.

   Mark done

6. Add the garlic, ginger and dried chillies for 20 seconds.

   Mark done

7. Return all the lamb, add the cumin, chilli flakes, sugar and salt, and toss hard for 90 seconds so the spices coat every piece.

   Mark done Start 90 sec timer

8. Kill the heat, fold through the coriander and spring onions, and serve immediately.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Freeze the lamb for 30 minutes before slicing and you will get far thinner, more even pieces.
• This dish needs real heat. If your hob is weak, cook in three batches rather than two.
• Serve with flatbread or naan rather than rice for the authentic Xinjiang experience.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the red chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Flatbread or hand-pulled noodles
• A cucumber and garlic salad
• Cold beer

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat fast in a very hot wok; low reheating steams the lamb and loses the sear.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.