Restaurant-Style Cumin Lamb with a Fresh-Toasted Spice Blend

Method

1. Slice the lamb leg against the grain 3 mm thick and 4–5 cm long. Add the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, egg white and cornstarch and massage for 2 minutes until the meat feels tacky and has absorbed all the liquid, then leave for 15 min. The egg white and starch form a thin coating that keeps the inside juicy over fierce heat.

   Add in this stepBoneless lamb leg 300 gLight soy sauce 2 tspShaoxing wine (or dry sherry) 1½ tspEgg white 1Cornstarch 2½ tsp

2. Put the cumin seeds, Sichuan peppercorns and sesame seeds in a dry pan and toast over low heat for 2 min 30 sec, stirring, until the cumin darkens a shade, the sesame turns golden and it all smells fragrant. Tip straight into a mortar. Coarsely grind all the Sichuan pepper and half the cumin, leave the rest of the cumin whole, and mix with the chilli flakes to make your spice blend.

   Add in this stepWhole cumin seeds 3½ tspSichuan peppercorns ½ tspWhite sesame seeds 1½ tspChilli flakes (Chinese-style) 1 tsp

   low heat

3. Cut the red onion into 2 cm pieces, slice the green and red chillies on the diagonal 5 mm thick, and finely chop the garlic and ginger. Cut the coriander into 2 cm lengths.

4. Pour the frying oil into a 28 cm · 1× wok and heat over medium heat to 160 °C (a wooden chopstick dipped in gives off small, steady bubbles). Slide the lamb in from the side of the wok, separating the slices with chopsticks, and cook for 1 min per batch, just until the outside turns pale and the slices come apart; lift out into a sieve to drain. Wet meat or dropping it from a height makes oil spit, so lower it gently and keep water well away. Pour the oil into a heatproof container to cool (it can be strained and reused), leaving 1 tablespoon in the wok.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil for frying 300 ml

   medium heat

5. Turn the wok up to high heat, add the garlic, ginger, red onion and both chillies and stir-fry for 1 min, until the onion edges are lightly charred and the chillies smell fragrant.

   Add in this stepGarlic cloves 3Fresh ginger 8 gRed onion ½Green chilli 1Fresh red chilli 1

   high heat

6. Return the lamb and, still on high heat, add the spice blend, salt and sugar and toss hard for 1 min, until the cumin sizzles and clings to the meat and the edges of the lamb turn slightly crisp.

   Add in this stepSalt ½ tspSugar ½ tsp

   high heat

7. Turn off the heat, toss in the coriander and serve immediately, piping hot.

   Add in this stepFresh coriander (cilantro) 15 g