Xinjiang Cumin Lamb

Where This Goes Wrong

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.

Making Xinjiang Cumin Lamb

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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

Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.

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Why the Method Works

Whole cumin seed toasted in the wok releases its oils in bursts as you bite them, giving a completely different effect from ground cumin, which would only muddy the sauce. The lamb is dried and cooked in two batches at maximum heat so it sears rather than stews — moisture in the wok is what separates this from a grey braise.

Storage and Reheating

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

Changing the Recipe

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• Dried chilli flakes can stand in for the red chillies. Heat varies a great deal between chillies and between jars, so start with a small pinch and add more to taste.
• If you only have ground ginger, a quarter-teaspoon for each tablespoon of fresh is the ratio usually given; it tastes warmer and less bright than the fresh root.

Good With

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

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Vegan Fried Rice.

Common Questions About Xinjiang Cumin Lamb

Xinjiang Cumin Lamb Nutrition

Per serving, an approximate calculation from the ingredient list. Treat it as a rough guide: weights that include bone are counted as if all of it were eaten, so the figures run high. How the figures are worked out.

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