Chinese Xinjiang Lamb Cumin Skewers
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 15 minutes plus marinating time of 1 hour to overnight
Cooking time: 6 minutes (plus 30 minutes to heat coals)
Serves: around 16-18 skewers
- 900g/2lbs. lamb shoulder (2 lamb shoulder boneless mini roasts are best)
- 1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons rice flour or cornflour/fine cornstarch
- 4-5 tablespoons oil
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Salt
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2 tablespoons cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons chilli flakes (or 1 tablespoon chilli flakes and 1 tablespoon aleppo pepper or Trader Joe's lime and chilli mix)
Step 1 - Cut the lamb into small 2cm/0.8inch pieces (do not trim the fat). Slice the onion and garlic thinly and mix with the lamb, flour and oil and massage to combine. Cover and marinate for 1 hour to overnight. Soak bamboo skewers for 1 hour.
Step 2 -Take the lamb out of the fridge before you light your coals to give it time to take the chill off the meat. Heat the cumin seeds and chilli in a dry frypan until fragrant. Place in a mortar and pestle and grind or pulse in a coffee grinder. It doesn't have to be a fine powder, some bits of cumin and chilli is fine. Place in a parmesan shaker if you have one (don't worry if you don't, you can just spoon it over). Thread the meat onto the skewer and press around each skewer with your hand to form a sausage shape. Salt these generously on all sides.
Step 3 -To start your charcoal grill, have your chimney, firelighters and charcoal briquettes ready. Place firelights on a large aluminium tray and make a pile of them and light with a long match or flame lighter. Place the chimney on top of the pile and fill with 2kg/4lbs of charcoal briquettes. Make sure that the firelighters are hot and aflame and after around 20 minutes the coals will turn white. They are ready to place in the grill. Place in the grill or bbq and place the metal grill on top.
Step 4 -Line up your skewers on the grill and flip them every 45 seconds or so so that they get an even cooking. When they look around half done add the seasoning mix and keep sprinkling and turning. Serve hot with bread, salad and tzatziki.
Personal Note
I prepped these on a Friday and we ate them on Saturday night when we had the Jones family over. We've slowly started having people over and Valentina was the first person to drop by with a gift and fresh figs. Every weekend we have people over and we have to pre-warn everyone that there are still boxes that we haven't unpacked. So far we're just inviting the non-judgmental friends around!
Now that we've settled in we have gotten onto the business of selling our old apartment. I got a recommendation for a real estate agent from Sammie who sold her apartment a few weeks before for a very nice sum and I was impressed at how quickly they sprung into action. We booked a stylist who made the apartment look fantastic and really highlighted its positive points. "Do you think we could get the stylist around to our new house and furnish it?" I asked Mr NQN.
Our auction date is in a few week's time (the same date that my parents house auction is funnily enough!) and they just put the For Sale sign outside. When I mentioned it to Monica she asked, "Do you want me to go to the auction and loudly talk about how amazing the place is?"
"Yes! Say something like, 'Oh my god, it's exquisite!'" I said.
"How about, 'Whoever lives here is gonna get laid... ALOT" or "MAN if I lived here I'd never leave," added Monica.
"Yes and don't be afraid to go over the top. Like say, 'Is this a billion dollars? No? Amazing!! I heard George Clooney bought in this building!'" I said. And all fun and joking aside, I am crossing my fingers for a painless auction process!
So tell me Dear Reader, do you have any tips for selling a house? Have you ever tried these lamb skewers?