China · Home-style
Pan-Seared Lamb Chops
Lamb chops braised with whole spices until nearly tender, then seared hard and tossed with chili and cumin in the rendered fat.
Lamb chops are first braised with whole spices until the fat has run and the meat is nearly tender, then seared hard to build a crust. Braising first and frying second is a method that reached Chinese banquet kitchens by way of the northwest. The lamb fat that comes out of the pan seasons the spice mix rather than being thrown away.
Ingredients
- lamb chops750 g
- cassia bark2 g
- Sichuan peppercorn5 g
- star anise1 pieces
- angelica dahurica6 g
- bay leaf5 pieces
- salt25 g
- cooking wine10 ml
- chili powder5 g
- cumin seeds2 g
- barbecue rub2 g
- ground cumin2 g
- white sesame2 g
- sugar1 g
Directions
- 1
Cut the lamb chops into chunks along the lines of the bones.
- 2
Put cold water in a wok, add all the lamb, and once it boils keep blanching for two or three minutes, then lift out and set aside.
- 3
Put the blanched lamb into a pot, whether a pressure cooker or an ordinary one, along with the cassia bark, Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, angelica dahurica, bay leaf and cooking wine.
- 4
Add drinking water to cover everything. In a pressure cooker, cook for thirty minutes once it comes up to pressure. In an ordinary pot, simmer for eighty minutes.
- 5
Lift out the braised lamb, drain it and put it in a dry wok or frying pan with no oil and no water.
- 6
Sear over medium-high heat for six to seven minutes, until the fat has come out and the surface is golden and crisp.
- 7
Leave the rendered lamb fat in the pan and add the chili powder, cumin seeds, barbecue rub, ground cumin and white sesame, tossing to combine.
- 8
Add the sugar and salt, if you did not add them during the braise, and toss to combine.
- 9
Once everything is evenly mixed, turn off the heat and plate up.
Source: HowToCook · WorldBite adaptation · Unlicense source text; bilingual recipe adapted by WorldBite.