Sichuan toothpick lamb

This Sichuan dish is meant to mimic the Xinjiang-style lamb skewers popular around China, but while the toothpicks are a bit of fun, you can get by with just putting a few in for the vibes without having to skewer every single piece of meat. It’ll save you fair bit of time.

• serves

  4-6

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Series. Cooking. Rated PG.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 3 garlic cloves, bruised
• ½ cup large dried chillies, cut into 2 cm lengths
• 2 tbsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp red Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 tsp Korean chilli powder (mild, coarse)
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn oil
• 2 tsp chilli crisp oil
• ½ small bunch coriander, roughly chopped

For the lamb marinade

• 400 g slightly fatty boneless lamb leg or shoulder, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce
• ½ tsp bicarbonate soda
• Salt
• pinch of chicken stock powder
• 2 spring onions, white parts finely chopped, green parts thinly sliced
• 2 tsp finely grated ginger
• ½ tsp potato starch

Marinating time: 10 minutes

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the ingredients for the lamb marinade and mix well to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes to marinate.
2. Take about 15 toothpicks and skewer one piece of lamb on each.
3. Add the oil for deep-frying to a large wok or saucepan and heat to 160˚C. Deep-fry the lamb in batches until well-browned and cooked through. With the last batch of lamb, add the garlic and dried chillies, then drain well.
4. While lamb is cooking, in a dry frying pan, toast the cumin seeds, fennel seeds and Sichuan peppercorns, until fragrant. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and grind to a coarse powder with the chilli powder, salt and sugar.
5. Transfer the lamb, chillies and garlic to a bowl and drizzle in the sesame oil, Sichuan peppercorn oil and chilli crisp. Sprinkle with the prepared spice blend. Add the coriander and spring onion greens and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving plate and serve.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.