Cumin Lamb Stir Fry (Zi Ran Yang Rou)

This is the wok version of the Xinjiang skewer: lamb, whole cumin seed, chilli flakes and not much else, cooked fast enough that the meat browns before it has a chance to stew.

Toast the cumin in the dry wok first. It takes thirty seconds and it is the difference between a dish that smells like a night market and one that tastes vaguely dusty. Onion and capsicum go in late so they keep their snap.

Servings
4
Prep Time
10
mins
Cook Time
8
mins
Ingredients
13
Total Time
18
mins

Pantry bits

No items found.

Ingredients

  • 600g lamb backstrap or leg, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 tbsp whole cumin seeds
  • 1 to 2 tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 brown onion, cut into wedges and separated
  • 1 red capsicum, cut into chunks
  • 4 spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths
  • 1 large handful coriander, roughly chopped
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Toss the lamb with the Shaoxing, soy and cornflour and leave it while you chop the vegetables.
  2. Heat the wok over high heat with no oil, add the cumin seeds and chilli flakes and toast for 30 seconds until fragrant, then tip them onto a plate.
  3. Add the oil to the wok and, when it shimmers, spread the lamb out in a single layer. Leave it 1 minute to sear, then stir fry for 2 minutes until browned.
  4. Add the garlic, onion and capsicum and stir fry for 2 minutes so they soften at the edges but stay crisp in the middle.
  5. Return the toasted spices, season with salt, and toss for 1 minute. Fold through the spring onion and coriander off the heat and serve straight away with rice or flatbread.

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