Ingredients
| 300g lamb neck, very thinly sliced, plus 300g lamb mince, or 600g of either | |
| 1 portion fresh flat noodles, | |
| rapeseed oil, for frying | |
| 1 medium red onion, sliced | |
| 4 spring onions, thinly sliced into matchsticks | |
| large handful of coriander, leaves picked | |
| small handful of mint, leaves picked | |
| 1 tablespoon toasted peanuts | |
| Sichuan chilli oil | |
| FOR THE MARINADE | |
| 2 teaspoons coarsely ground cumin seeds | |
| 1 tablespoon light soy sauce | |
| 2 teaspoons cornflour | |
| 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce | |
| 1 teaspoon ground coriander | |
| 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil | |
| ¼ teaspoon garlic powder | |
| ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper | |
| ⅛ teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns | |
| FOR THE STIR-FRY PASTE | |
| 4 tablespoons vegetable, groundnut or rapeseed oil | |
| 4 garlic cloves, very finely chopped | |
| 2 teaspoons grated ginger | |
| 1 large Asian red chilli (not spicy), diced | |
| 1½ tablespoons coarsely ground cumin seeds | |
| 1 teaspoon ground coriander | |
| 1 teaspoon ground black pepper | |
| ½ teaspoon ground white pepper | |
| good pinch of ground Sichuan peppercorns | |
| FOR THE STIR-FRY SAUCE | |
| 4 tablespoons soy sauce | |
| 2 tablespoons rice wine or sake | |
| 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar | |
| ½ teaspoon white sugar | |
| ½ teaspoon MSG (optional) | |
| ¼ teaspoon salt |
There are quite a lot of ingredients, so I recommend being methodical and organising yourself from the outset. In separate bowls, mix together the ingredients for the marinade, the stir-fry paste and finally the stir-fry sauce so you have everything to hand when cooking. Although this recipe requires quite a lot of prep, as with most Chinese cuisine, the cooking barely takes any time at all.
Instructions
| 1. | Cumin is one of the heroes of this dish, so begin by toasting the cumin seeds. Heat a dry frying pan over a high heat and add 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds. Toast for a few minutes, keeping the seeds moving so as not to burn them. They will begin to release their aroma and darken slightly in colour, which is a sign they are ready. |
| 2. | Transfer to either a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder and grind into a fine powder. You use this in both the marinade and stir-fry paste. |
| 3. | Mix the lamb with the marinade ingredients, using your hands to massage the flavours into the meat. |
| 4. | Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge. |
| 5. | Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil to cook the noodles. |
| 6. | Once the water has come to a rolling boil, add the noodles one by one. You’ll know they’re cooked when they float to the top, which should only take a couple of minutes. |
| 7. | Drain them and refresh them in a bowl of iced water. |
| 8. | Heat a large frying pan or wok over a high heat. |
| 9. | Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the marinated lamb to lubricate it, then put in the hot pan and spread out evenly. |
| 10. | Allow to caramelise for 30 seconds without moving, then fry for a couple of minutes until no longer pink. |
| 11. | Add the red onion and fry for a few minutes until it starts to soften. |
| 12. | Remove the lamb and the onion with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate. |
| 13. | Next heat 3-4 tablespoons of oil in the same pan over a high heat and add the stir-fry paste. |
| 14. | Move it around the pan for a few minutes so it starts releasing fragrant aromas, but be careful not to let it burn. |
| 15. | Return the lamb and onion to the pan and move them around for a minute or two. |
| 16. | Now pour in the stir fry sauce and cook for 5 minutes until the meat is cooked through and tender. |
| 17. | Follow with the noodles and spring onions. |
| 18. | Keep stirring to make sure everything is well coated and combined. |
| 19. | Finally, mix through the herbs, peanuts and a teaspoon of the chilli oil. |
| 20. | Serve immediately. |
© Slow: Food worth taking time over By Gizzi ErskinePublished by Harlequin, a division of HarperCollins
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