Stir-fried Lamb With Chili, Cumin And Garlic

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs lamb shoulder
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• grapeseed oil (or other neutral tasting oil)
• 1 cup trimmed and roughly chopped scallion (optional)
• chopped fresh cilantro leaves (to garnish) (optional)

Recipe

• 1 cut lamb into ½-inch cubes (easier if meat is firmed in the freezer for 15 to 45 minutes).
• 2 toast cumin seeds in dry skillet over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant, a minute or 2.
• 3 toss together lamb with cumin, chili, garlic, soy sauce, a large pinch of salt and a healthy grinding of pepper. if you like, cover and refrigerate until ready to cook, up to 24 hours.
• 4 when ready to cook, put a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet (ideally, it will hold the lamb in one layer, or nearly so) and turn heat to high. when hot, add lamb. cook, undisturbed, for about a minute, then stir once or twice to loosen lamb from skillet. cook another minute, then stir again. add scallions, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions glisten and shrink a bit and the meat is about medium.
• 5 if you want a slightly saucier mixture, stir in ¼ cup water and cook another minute. serve hot over rice, garnished, if you like, with cilantro.