Here you go, dudes, the winning Lamb Takedown recipe, and proof that The Takedown is a tool for social change! The people, they picked. They loved Jeff Allen and Diella Koberstein with a seriousness. Jeff and Diel’s Uyghur Lamb recipe will transport you to a better place, even as it highlights the plight of China’s Muslim minority! These guys won People’s Choice with this so, full respect! Read on for the recipe!:
The Dish:
Chinese Xi’an / Uyghur Style Spicy Cumin and Red Chile Lamb
with Pickled Roof Top Farms Jalapenos and Shallots
The Region:
Wikipedia says: The cuisine of Xinjiang (???) is the food of the Uyghurs (Uyghur Yemekliri), known for cooking fiery lamb kebabs and homemade noodles. As Uyghurs are Sunni Muslim Turks, the food is predominantly halal.
The Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 LB Boneless Top Round American Lamb
For Marinade:
2 TB cumin seeds, pan toasted and coarsely ground. To toast the cumin seeds heat in a dry all-clad pan at 350 degrees, shaking and stirring until the color of dark roast coffee. When cool, grind into a coarse powder in mortar and pestle.
2 TB cumin powder, ground from untoasted seeds
2 TB dried, hot red Chinese chilies, toasted and then ground
Ginger/Garlic paste. Take 3 garlic cloves and 1 inch of peeled ginger and mince in a mini-prep with a dash of oil and a little salt to make a paste. Use half for marinade and reserve half for cooking the onions.
1 TB black pepper
2 TB dark soy sauce
Additional salt, to taste
2 TB cold water
Additional Ingredients:
2 med red onions, diced
1 med seeded and diced jalapeno, seranno or thai bird chili, depending on desired heat
2 TB each (see above) of ground toasted cumin, ground un-toasted cumin, dried chili powder and black pepper
Pita Bread
Canola or peanut oil, as needed
Preparatory Instructions:
Remove silver skin from lamb. Slice top round horizontally (knife blade parallel to counter), against the grain, into 4-5 steaks. Cut steaks again, against the grain, into small, thin ¾” slices.
Combine all of the marinade ingredients with lamb in a non-reactive mixing bowl. Marinate refrigerated for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Remove lamb from fridge and add cornstarch, remaining cumin, black pepper and chili. Toss to coat lamb pieces. Use more cumin and/or chili depending on personal preference of spice.
Cooking Instructions:
Heat oil in a sauté pan over med-high heat until shimmering.
Drain any excess liquid or marinade from lamb.
Cook lamb in batches.
Add lamb pieces to hot pan in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook lamb until well-browned on one side and stir-fry for an additional minute.
Remove lamb from pan into a ceramic or glass holding bowl.
Add approx 2 TB of water to hot pan and scrape browned spices from pan. Reduce to a thick sauce. Pour over cooked lamb. Add oil back to pan and when hot repeat the process until all of the lamb is cooked.
In a separate pan heat a small amount of oil over med-high heat. Add diced onions to the pan with a dash of salt and cook 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent. Once onions are soft add diced jalapenos, a pinch of toasted cumin, red chili pepper and stir. After another minute add the reserved garlic/ginger paste, stir and reduce heat to medium and cook for 2-4 minutes.
If at any time the pan gets too hot add a TB or two of water and stir in with onions.
Reduce heat to low, stir and cover.
Toss browned lamb into the pan with onions and peppers until warmed through. Adjust seasonings and serve with fresh pita bread and a garnish of diced, pickled jalapenos.
Garlicky Quick Pickled Jalapenos and Shallots
Ingredients:
6-8 Jalapenos, halved and seeded
2 shallots, diced
Pickling Spices Sichuan peppercorns, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, crushed garlic clove (1), mashed ginger slice (1), bay leaf (1)
White vinegar (2 cups)
Water (1 cup)
1 TB salt
1 TB sugar
Instructions:
Add all pickling ingredients except for jalapenos and shallots to a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.
Add jalapenos and shallots to 1 QT ball jar. Strain all pickling spiced from liquid and pour hot, but not boiling liquid and spices into the ball jar, leaving ½ inch at top of jar. Add additional white vinegar if necessary. Cool closed jar on counter for up to an hour and when cooled refrigerate. Let pickles marinate for a minimum of 4 days and up to 3 weeks. If you want the pickles to last longer then you will need to boil the jar according to typical pickling standards.
For serving on lamb dice jalapenos and shallots and serve together with some of the reserved pickling juice.
If you like this you can find similar, but better, preparations in NYC:
Xi’An Fine Foods in Flushing, Queens
Sichuan Gourmet on 39th Street, Manhattan
Spicy & Tasty on Prince Street, Queens
Follow Jeff and Diella on Twitter:
@JeffAllenNYC
@diella
