4

Shaanxi-style

lamb with cumin

and celerySERVES 4

Avoid any temptation to
use lean lamb mince in this
dish, it needs the fat to melt
down and become infused
with the flavour of the spices
to bring everything together.
Lean mince just doesn’t give
the same result.

2 tbsp grapeseed oil

600 gm coarsely minced lamb

1 cinnamon quill, broken

in half

3 star anise

30 gm ginger (about 6cm),

finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 spring onions, white part cut

into 2cm lengths, green part

thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

1 tsp ground cumin

6 small celery stalks, thinly

sliced

60 ml (¼ cup) Shaoxing wine

60 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce

1 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar

2 tsp honey

Steamed rice, roasted

sesame seeds and lemon

wedges (optional), to serve

1 Heat oil in a large non-stick

frying pan or wok over high

heat, add lamb, cinnamon and

star anise, and cook, stirring

occasionally, until lamb is well

browned (8-10 minutes).

Remove lamb from pan with

a slotted spoon (there should

be some lamb fat still in the

pan), then add ginger, garlic,

white part of spring onion and

remaining spices, season to

taste and stir-fry until aromatic

(1-2 minutes). Add celery, stir-fry

for 1 minute, then return lamb to

pan with Shaoxing, soy sauce,

vinegar and honey and stir

until well combined (1 minute).

Season to taste and serve

on rice topped with sesame

and spring onion greens, and

with lemon on the side.➤

LambSmall dish (with sesame)

from Jook Ceramics.Clams

Plate from Kana London. All

other props stylist’s own.

Stockists p176.

GOURMET TRAVELLER 67