Skewers, Noodles & Rice: Three Best Ways to Eat Lamb

When it comes to protein, meats like chicken and beef tend to get all the love. But for me, lamb is probably my favorite. Here, I’m sharing three different ways to eat lamb, based on three of my favorite Chinese recipes.

First up are lamb skewers: they’re tasty, they’re simple, and they’re the absolute best! Dice, skewer, bake and season–that’s all you need to do in order to make these lamb skewers. They’re popular in night markets around China, and typically are seasoned with salt, cumin and chili peppers. Add these to your next BBQ night and they’re sure to be a hit! [Jump to Lamb Skewers Recipe]

Next are my personal favorite, the Xinjiang Lamb Rice. These are commonly found in, you guessed it, Xinjiang. A simple way to think of them is as fried rice but with lamb, but they are cooked in a slightly more complex and flavorful way. Add some carrots and onions, and this is the perfect meal prep! [Jump to Xinjiang Lamb Rice Recipe]

Last are the lamb noodles. For a cozy day meal, make some lamb noodles for the family. The noodles are homemade, so it does end up being slightly more time intensive. But it certainly is worth the time, and are again quite popular in China. [Jump to Lamb Noodles Recipe]

Lamb Skewers (羊肉串)

• 1 lb lamb (typically lamb leg)
• salt, cumin, chili peppers
• wood skewers

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Cut lamb into small pieces, approximately 1 in. x 1 in. cubes.
3. Take a skewer, and add the pieces of meat. Make sure they’re not too closely stacked.
4. On a baking sheet, add a wire cooling rack [this lets the excess fat drip down]. Place a row of filled skewers on the rack.
5. Bake for 7-10 min. Flip each skewer over, and bake for another 5-7 minutes.
6. Take out from over, and add seasoning (salt, chili peppers, cumin).
7. Then, bake for a final three minutes.

• 

• 

---

XinJiang Lamb Rice (新疆手抓饭)

• Lamb (1 lb)
• 1 large carrot
• 1 small yellow onion
• Oil
• Salt (1 tsp)
• Light Soy Sauce (1 tbs)
• Cumin (1 tbs)
• Oyster sauce (1 tbs)
• Rice (2 cups)

1. Soak the rice in water (just covered) for two hours.
2. Then, remove from water and dry the rice. Set aside.
3. Julienne the carrots and onions (cut into small, thin strips).
4. Cut the lamb into 1 in. x 1 in. cubes.
5. Add 1 tbs oil into a wok, and add the lamb.
6. Cook with meat, and add spices (salt, light soy sauce, cumin, oyster sauce).
7. Once meat is almost fully cooked, remove from wok and place into a bowl.
8. Add another tbs of oil, and cook the onion and carrots until soft.
9. Once vegetables are cooked, place the meat back.
10. Add uncooked rice into wok, and stir together.
11. Add about 1 cup of water, and then cover on low heat.
12. Wait until water is fully evaporated (about half an hour).
13. Once all water is evaporated, stir fry for another minute and remove from heat.
14. Serve!

• 

---

Lamb Noodles (羊肉拌面)

• Lamb (1 lb)
• Ginger (2 pieces, thinly-sliced)
• Green Onion Stalk (white part)
• Seaweed (a handful)
• All Purpose Flour (2 cups)
• Water (1 cup)
• Salt (1 tsp)

1. Cut lamb into cubes (slightly large, about 2 in x 2 in).
2. Place lamb in a pot and cover it with water. Add ginger and green onion stalk.
3. Let the water come to a boil, and then reduce to medium heat for about 40 minutes.
4. While lamb is being cooked, make the noodles. Add two cups of flour and 1 tsp of salt into a stand mixer. Then, add 1 cup of water (add more if needed to make dough come together).
5. Take the dough, and roll into a thin (0.25 in thick), long rectangle. Cut vertically into 1 in. width noodle pieces.
6. Bring a pot of water to boil, and add in the noodles.
7. Once the noodles are cooked, place into a bowl.
8. The lamb should be cooked by now. Season with salt.
9. Then, add the noodles into the pot with the cooked lamb.
10. Top with chili oil, and serve into individual bowls!

•