Cumin Lamb (Ziran Yangrou)

Method

1. Slice the lamb against the grain into slices 3 mm thick and 4–5 cm long; 20 minutes in the freezer firms it up and makes this much easier. Put it in a bowl with the marinade soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch and a small splash of the oil, massage with your hand for 1 minute until absorbed, then leave to marinate for 15 min.

   Add in this stepBoneless lamb leg or shoulder 300 gLight soy sauce (for the marinade) 2 tspShaoxing wine (or dry sherry) 1½ tspCornstarch (for the marinade) 1½ tspNeutral oil ¼ tbsp

2. Meanwhile slice the onion 5 mm thick and the garlic thinly. Snip the dried chillies into 2 cm pieces with scissors and shake out the seeds; cut the spring onions and coriander into 3 cm lengths. Put the cumin in a zip bag and press a few times with a rolling pin to half-crush it, which releases much more aroma. The stir-fry moves fast, so have everything within reach.

3. Heat a 28 cm · 1× wok or frying pan over high heat until it just starts to smoke, add oil and spread the lamb in a single layer. Leave it untouched for 30 seconds, then stir-fry for 2 min 30 sec until browned outside with almost no red showing, and tip onto a plate. If cooking in 2 batches, split the oil between them. A crowded pan releases water and the lamb boils instead of searing.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 1¾ tbsp

   high heat

4. Turn the same pan down to medium heat, add the remaining oil, then the chillies, garlic and onion, and stir-fry for 2 min, until the onion edges turn translucent and the chillies darken one shade. Don't let the chillies turn black or they will taste bitter.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 0.9 tbspDried red chillies 5Garlic cloves 3Onion ½

   medium heat

5. Return the lamb, turn up to high heat, sprinkle over the cumin, chilli flakes, salt and sugar and toss quickly for 1 min, until the spices cling to the meat and smell toasty. Keep this step short: spices scorch easily.

   Add in this stepWhole cumin seeds 3 tspChilli flakes (Chinese-style) 1 tspSalt ½ tspSugar ½ tsp

   high heat

6. Turn off the heat, add the spring onions, coriander and sesame seeds and toss for 10 seconds in the residual heat, then serve straight away with steamed rice or thin flatbreads.

   Add in this stepSpring onions 2Fresh coriander (cilantro) 10 gToasted white sesame seeds 1 tsp