Beef & Lamb Archives - Red House Spice

Beef and Mushroom Stir-Fry (杏鲍菇牛肉粒)

Wei Guo — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 14:43:14 +0000

Enjoy the rich flavors of beef and mushroom stir-fry, a quick and easy dish featuring succulent steak and springy mushroom, all coated with an umami sauce.

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Braised Beef with Daikon (萝卜炖牛肉)

Wei Guo — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 22:50:15 +0000

A wholesome stew made in simple steps, braised beef with daikon is a classic Chinese dish perfect for both weekday dinners and special gatherings.

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Sha Cha Beef (沙茶牛肉)

Wei Guo — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 05:52:37 +0000

Discover a new way to make stir-fried steak! This Sha Cha beef recipe reveals how to elevate flavor with a popular sauce and achieve a succulent texture using pro tips.

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Pepper Steak (青椒牛肉)

Wei Guo — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 21:18:40 +0000

A delicious way to combine beef and crunchy veggies, Chinese pepper steak stir-fry comes with an irresistible sauce and is very quick to cook.

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Cumin Lamb Stir-Fry (孜然羊肉)

Wei Guo — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 00:22:00 +0000

Aromatic and pungent, cumin lamb stir-fry is an easy dish that seldom fails to impress. This recipe offers tips to obtain the perfect taste and texture.

Note: This is a revised version of my post published in 2017. It provides more tips and process shots.

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Beef and Broccoli (西兰花炒牛肉)

Wei Guo — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 17:02:00 +0000

Following the restaurant’s secret of meat velveting and the perfect sauce formula, your homemade beef and broccoli will please any demanding palate.

Dishes featuring succulent beef are very popular on my blog. Examples include Black Pepper Beef, Hunan Beef Stir-fry, Sichuan Water Boiled Beef, Beef and Mushroom, etc. I’ve also received quite a few requests for a recipe for Beef and Broccoli, a beloved takeout favorite that’s very easy to make at home.

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Hunan Beef Stir-Fry (小炒黄牛肉)

Wei Guo — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 11:46:25 +0000

Succulent beef slices complemented with the heat of chilli peppers, the authentic version of Hunan beef bursts with wonderful flavours and it’s very quick to cook.

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Chinese Lamb Skewers (Yang Rou Chuan’r, 羊肉串儿)

Wei Guo — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 22:44:47 +0000

Making Chinese lamb skewers at home is totally approachable. The ingredients are simple and the process is straightforward. Give it a try!

A very popular street food

If making a list of popular Chinese street foods, today’s recipe, Lamb Skewers (Yang Rou Chuan’r, 羊肉串儿) would definitely make it to the top 10. Seasoned with cumin and chili, grilled over hot charcoal, they’re juicy, tasty and extremely satisfying.

Lamb skewers have always been popular in Northwest China where I grew up. The region has a large Chinese Muslim community and lamb is greatly appreciated. Over the years, this humble street food has made its way to almost every corner of the country.

At street food stands, these flavorful lamb skewers are often served with refreshing summer dishes such as Smashed Cucumber, Tiger Salad, Five Spice Edamame. They’re perfect for casual gatherings.

Why this recipe

I would probably never make this dish myself if I still lived in China (It’s cheap and easily accessible). But living abroad has given me a real craving for it. I was surprised by how simple it was the first time I tried it.

Apart from lamb, you only need four ingredients:

Salt and onion for marinating
Cumin and chili powder for seasoning

Before we get into the details of cooking tips, here are a few important factors that will contribute to success:

Fresh, good quality lamb is the key
Marinate to ensure a tender texture
Charcoal produces the best result
Add spices at the right time to avoid burning

Which cut of lamb

In China, most street vendors use a combination of lean and fatty lamb for skewers. For example, a skewer could include 6 lean pieces and 2-3 fatty pieces. After grilling, the fat shrinks dramatically and becomes crispy. It makes the skewers incredibly delicious.

For shooting this recipe, I used lamb leg cut. After separating the fat and the lean meat, I cut them into small cubes (1.5-2 cm/about ½ inch) then mixed them on the skewers.

You don’t have to follow the same method but I recommend you make sure to include some fat, e.g. use a well-marbled cut. This is not a dish you’d eat every day so I think it’s ok to indulge yourself once in a while. Agree?

🌟 NOTE: Beef can be grilled the same way using the same set of seasonings. For a tender and tasty result, look for beef cuts that have less connective tissue but more marble-looking fat, such as fillet mignon, T-bone, sirloin, flank, etc.

Marinate before cooking

Marinating the lamb beforehand is simple but essential. This procedure calls for two common ingredients and serves two purposes:

Sliced onion. It helps to reduce the gamey flavour of the lamb and to lend a hint of oniony taste.
Salt. It’s for tenderising the meat, as well as for basic seasoning.

It’s important that you allow at least 40 mins to marinate. Food scientist Dr Stuart Farrimond has explained in his book “The Science of Cooking” that during this time “Salt starts to tenderize meat by ‘denaturing’ the surface proteins” thus the meat becomes softer and remains tender after cooking.

It’s fine to leave the meat to marinate on the kitchen counter (away from direct sunshine). If you plan to use it much later, store it in the fridge. It’s not recommended to marinate longer than 24 hours. According to Dr Farrimond, if marinated for too long the salt will “start to cure the outside of the meat” causing the outer layer of the meat to have a mushy texture.

Tools that I use

To imitate the set-up of Chinese street vendors, I use the following tools to make lamb skewers:

A rectangle charcoal grill

Not only does charcoal create more intense heat than a gas grill, it also helps to produce a richer flavour (Fat drips down over the hot charcoal creating a flavourful smoke that rises back to the meat).

The rectangle shape allows you to create zones: e.g. one zone with adequate coals for grilling and another zone with a little coal to keep cooked skewers warm.

Flat, stainless-steel skewers

The ones I use measure about 30 cm/14 in length. They’re flat, rather than round, so the meat cubes don’t spin easily when you flip.

If using wooden/bamboo skewers, you’ll need to soak them in water for at least 30 mins before grilling. Otherwise, they burn or catch fire easily.

Grilling procedure

Place charcoal inside the grill. Ideally, it should be about 10 cm/4 in away from the cooking grid. Light up the charcoal then wait for the flame to die down (It takes at least 20 mins).

Once the coals develop a coating of white ash and glow inside, it’s time to cook. Place the skewers over the grid. Flip as often as necessary to evenly sear the meat.

Then sprinkle chili powder and cumin powder over (Be generous!). It’s important that you don’t add spices earlier than instructed as prolonged cooking may burn them and cause a bitter taste.

A note on chili powder: I use chili powder in many dishes (e.g. for homemade chili oil) and often receive questions about how to choose. Chili powder made with any type of dried chili pepper would work (preferably it doesn’t contain any other spices). Choose what suits your level of heat tolerance.

For this recipe, I used a mixture of Korean and Indian chili powder that I found in my local stores. The former delivers an impressive red colour, while the latter offers an intense heat which I really appreciate.

Divide the skewers into two parts and hold them with each hand. Dab and rub one lot over another allowing the oil generated from the fat to flow onto the lean meat.

Once the lamb browns evenly and no more pinkness can be seen on the surface, the skewers are ready to be served. Enjoy them without delay as they taste the best when hot.

The alternative oven method

If you don’t have an outdoor barbecue grill, you may cook these lamb skewers in an oven with a grilling/broiling function. In this case,

Use a baking tray (sheet pan) fitted with a wire rack so that it can collect any drip from the fat.
Keep the tray inside the oven while preheating. Then put the skewers over when it’s hot (in a single layer).
Observe closely during the entire process. Flip frequently to avoid burning.

Other delicious lamb dishes

Looking for more ideas to cook lamb? Here are some recipes you might like:

📋 Recipe card

Chinese Lamb Skewers (Yang Rou Chuan’r, 羊肉串儿)

Making Chinese lamb skewers at home is totally approachable. The ingredients are simple and the process is straightforward. Give it a try!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Marinate 40

Total Time 1

Servings skewers

Calories 79kcal

Author Wei Guo

Ingredients

700 g lamb (ideally containing 25% fat) about 1.5 lb
1 onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder or to taste
1 tablespoon cumin powder

Instructions

Cut the lamb into cubes (1½-2 cm / ½ in). Put into a bowl. Mix with onion and salt. Leave to marinate for at least 40 mins.
Light up charcoal in your grill. While waiting for the flame to subside, thread the lamb onto the skewers. Evenly distribute the lean pieces and fatty ones (discard the onion).
When the charcoal glows and there’s no more visible flame, place the skewers over the cooking grid. Flip frequently to sear the meat evenly.
Once the meat turns pale, sprinkle chili powder and cumin powder all over.
Divide the skewers into two parts and hold them with each hand. Dab and rub one lot over another. This will help the oil generated from the fat to flow onto the lean meat.
Continue cooking until the meat browns evenly and there’s no pinkness on the surface (do not overcook). Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1skewer | Calories: 79kcal

The post Chinese Lamb Skewers (Yang Rou Chuan’r, 羊肉串儿) appeared first on Red House Spice.

Chinese Beef Stew with Potatoes (土豆炖牛肉)

Wei Guo — Sat, 13 Mar 2021 00:26:33 +0000

Easily prepared but intensely flavoured, Chinese beef stew with potatoes tastes tender, succulent and aromatic. This recipe includes many cooking tips to ensure a great result.

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Spicy Cumin Lamb Noodles (Easy Hand-torn Version)

Wei Guo — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 13:16:20 +0000

A tasty combination of two classic dishes, spicy cumin lamb noodles are bursting with great flavours. This hand-torn version is easy & fail-proof. A tutorial video is included.

A combination of two classic dishes

Some of my readers have asked me to create a recipe inspired by spicy cumin lamb noodles, a dish served at Xi’an Famous Food (a popular Chinese restaurant chain in New York City). It’s a combination of Spicy Cumin Lamb Stir-fry (孜然羊肉) and Biang Biang Noodles.

Having already published recipes on my blog for both of these two classic Chinese dishes, I’m excited to share my own version. Instead of hand-pulled noodles, I’d like to combine the lamb with another type of Chinese noodles, hand-torn noodles which I regularly cook in our Red House.

Three simple steps to cook the dish

Before I explain in detail all the tips and tricks, here is a summary of three simple steps for making spicy cumin lamb noodles.

Prepare the noodle dough and leave to rest. Then marinate the lamb.
Tear the dough into small pieces and cook them in boiling water.
Stir fry the lamb with aromatics and spices. Mix in the noodles then serve.

What are hand-torn noodles

Known as Mian Pian (面片) in Chinese, hand-torn noodles are very popular in northwestern regions of China where I was born and raised. Essentially, they’re made of simple flour-water dough and torn by hands into irregular-shaped, chewy pieces.

Served either in a broth/soup (面片汤) or with a quick stir-fry (炒面片), hand-torn noodles make a hearty, tasty and comforting all-in-one meal. They may not look as attractive as hand-pulled noodles, but they taste just as good. Another important point is that you can hardly fail to make it!

How to prepare the dough

Making the dough for hand-torn noodles is extremely easy. Flour, water and a pinch of salt are all that you need. You can knead the dough either by hand or with a stand-mixer (with a dough hook attachment).

What kind of flour to use

All-purpose flour (plain flour) works perfectly for this recipe. That said, please feel free to use other types of flour if it’s more convenient for you. Compare to hand-pulled noodles, the flour type matters less for this recipe.

The ideal flour-water ratio is 2:1 by WEIGHT. Since the water absorption capacity may vary depending on the brand of your flour, slight adjustments are sometimes necessary. The dough should feel medium firm once formed. After 60 min rest, it will become much softer.

How to knead the dough efficiently

If using hands, here is my trick to make kneading easier: Combine flour, water and salt to form a rough-looking dough. Instead of kneading it all the way to the desired texture, you may leave it to rest for 10 minutes or so, then knead for 1-2 mins until it becomes very smooth.

If using a stand mixer with a dough hook, it takes about 8 minutes on low speed to knead the dough.

Rest the dough for 1 hour

Leave the dough in the mixing bowl and cover with a lid, cling film or a wet towel. Allow it to rest for at least 60 minutes. During this process, the dough will soften and the gluten proteins in the flour will create strong bonds thus making the dough elastic and stretchable.

How to shape and cook the noodles

Once the resting period ends, divide the dough into small portions. Then coat them thoroughly with a little oil. This serves two purposes: it prevents the dough from drying out and also prevents it from sticking to your hands.

Now let’s move on to the fun part of this recipe. Exactly like how you make hand-pulled noodles, the shaping and cooking of hand-torn noodles takes place simultaneously. Here is the procedure (I highly recommend you also check out the tutorial video in the recipe card below):

Bring a large pot of water to a full boil.
Take a piece of dough and flatten it a little in your hands. Pinch on the edge with your fingers. Pull it outwards until it breaks.

Drop the torn piece into the boiling water and repeat the process to tear more.
Once you finish all the dough, leave the noodles to cook for a further minute.

Transfer the noodles to a colander. Rinse for a few seconds under running water then set aside. This is to prevent them from sticking together. But try not to over rinse. A little stickiness will help to absorb the sauce later on.

I guess you might be wondering if the noodles dropped in the water in the early stage will be overcooked by the time the later pieces go in. Trust me (who has been cooking this dish for years), they won’t be overcooked and you wouldn’t notice the difference as long as you follow these two tips:

Tear the dough into noodles with similar thickness.
Move fast when tearing. It also helps to have another pair of hands working with you.

How to make lamb tasty and juicy

The second component of today’s dish is the scrumptious spicy cumin lamb for which I’ve already shared a recipe on the blog. I made some adjustment based on the previous version to provide a more pungent and saucy taste that pairs well with hand-torn noodles.

Marinate the lamb for tenderness

While waiting for the noodle dough to rest, you can start to marinate the lamb, the star ingredient of the dish.

The best cut for this dish is lamb leg steak as it’s tender enough for a quick stir-fry.
Cut the lamb against the grain into thin slices. Semi-frozen meat is much easier to slice so you may put the lamb in the freezer for an hour or two.

In a mixing bowl, mix the lamb with tapioca starch (or corn starch), cumin powder and Shaoxing rice wine. Stir in a little oil at the end.

Spices are the soul of the dish

Hot chili and cumin make up the flavour profile of this dish which is a much-loved spice combination for lamb in northwestern Chinese cuisine (Xi Bei Cai, 西北菜). Many classic dishes, such as Lamb Skewers and Baked Lamb Bao Buns, are seasoned with this spice formula.

I use both chili flakes and ground chili for an enhanced flavour and vibrant colour. There is no specific type of chili that I’d recommend. Choose the one that suits your own tolerance to spiciness. If you cannot find ready-use chili flakes, make your own with dried chilies using a food processor or spice grinder.

For ground chili, you may use either chili power or paprika. The former sometimes contains other spices apart from dried chili. The latter is purely made of dried chili and provides a nice red colour. It’s ideal to use a mild version for an appetising look without making the dish overly spicy.

I also use cumin in two forms: Cumin powder to marinate the lamb so that the flavour can be absorbed effectively; Cumin seeds added during the stir-fry process to provide an extra kick.

I like how blogger Neha from WhiskAffair describes the difference: “Cumin Seeds bursts into flavor when one seed comes in your mouth while the ground cumin mingles well with the base of the dish and becomes a part of the overall taste profile.”

Stir-fry and combine the dish

Stir-frying is quick and straightforward. Here are the steps:

Heat up a wok until it smokes. Pour in oil. Stir in the marinated lamb. Then add garlic, scallions and onion. Fry until the lamb loses its pinkness.
Add chili flakes, chili powder, cumin seeds, soy sauce, salt and sesame seeds. Fry for a further 30 seconds or so.
Put in the cooked noodles. Stir well to evenly coat the noodles with the sauce.

To ensure a juicy texture of the lamb, follow these two tips:

Keep the heat high throughout the process. A traditional carbon steel wok over a powerful gas burner produces the best result.
Move fast and do not overcook so that you don’t lose too much of the moisture inside the lamb. It helps to have all the ingredients at hand before you start.

How to use this recipe creatively

There are many ways to use this recipe. You can separate the two components and match them with other dishes. Here are some of the ideas:

Mix spicy cumin lamb with Biang Biang Noodles, just like the Xi’an Famous Food version. Or serve the stir-fried lamb with Shou Gan Mian, a type of homemade noodles that are manually rolled and cut.
Serve spicy cumin lamb with plain rice and vegetarian dishes, such as Smashed Cucumber Salad, Cabbage Stir-fry, etc.
Serve hand-torn noodles in a tasty soup, such as Winter Melon & Meatball Soup, or in a broth, like the one for Hot & Sour Dumpling Soup.
Use hand-torn noodles as a substitute for the belt noodles in Big Plate Chicken.

Spicy Cumin Lamb Noodles (Easy Hand-torn Version)

A tasty combination of two classic dishes, spicy cumin lamb noodles are bursting with great flavours. This hand-torn version is easy & fail-proof. A tutorial video is included.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Rest 1

Total Time 1 25

Servings

Author Wei Guo

Ingredients

For the noodles

200 g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
1 pinch salt
100 g water adjust slightly if necessary, see note 2
Cooking oil for coating

For the lamb

350 g lamb preferably lamb leg cut
2 teaspoon tapioca starch, or corn starch
2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
1 tablespoon cooking oil

For the stir-fry

2 tablespoon cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks scallions, finely chopped
½ onion, sliced
1 tablespoon chili flakes see note 2
1 teaspoon ground chili see note 3
2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
⅓ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon sesame seeds
Coriander, chopped optional

Instructions

Prepare the dough

IF KNEADING BY HAND: Mix flour and salt. Add water gradually. Mix with chopsticks/spatula until no more liquid can be seen. Combine and knead briefly into a dough. Leave to rest (covered) for 10 mins. Knead again for about 2 mins until very smooth. Cover and rest again for at least 60 mins.
IF KNEADING WITH A STAND MIXER: Add flour, salt and water into the mixing bowl. Knead with a dough hook on low speed until a very smooth dough forms (It takes about 8 mins). Cover and rest for at least 60 mins (see note 4 for tips on make-ahead).

Marinate the lamb

Cut the lamb against the grain into thin slices then put into a mixing bowl.
Add starch, cumin powder, Shaoxing rice wine. Mix well.
Pour in oil. Stir to coat evenly. Set aside.

Cook the noodles

Once the dough is well rested, divide it into 4 pieces. Use cooking oil to coat each piece.
Bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Take a piece of dough and flatten it a little in your hands. Pinch on the edge with your fingers. Pull it outwards until it breaks.
Once you finish all the dough, leave to cook for a further minute.
Transfer the noodles to a colander. Rinse for a few seconds under running water then set aside.

Stir fry the dish

Heat up a wok until it smokes (see note 5). Pour in oil. Stir in the marinated lamb. Then add garlic, scallions and onion. Fry until the lamb loses its pinkness.
Add chili flakes, chili powder, cumin seeds, light soy sauce, salt and sesame seeds. Fry for a further 30 seconds or so.
Put in the cooked noodles. Stir well to evenly coat the noodles with the sauce.
Dish out and garnish with coriander if using. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

1. The flour-water ratio may vary depending on the brand of your flour. Please feel free to adjust accordingly. The dough should be medium-firm before the 60-min-rest. It will become softer after resting.

2. Chili flakes refers to crushed dried chilies. You may use any type which suits your own tolerance to spiciness. If you cannot find ready use chili flakes, make your own with dried chilies using a food processor or spice grinder.

3. For ground chili, you may use either chili power or paprika. The former sometimes contains other spices apart from dried chili. The latter is purely made of dried chili and provides a vibrant red colour. It’s ideal to use a mild version for an appetising look without making the dish overly spicy.

4. Please feel free to leave the dough to rest longer if you wish. Store it in the fridge if over 4 hours. In this case, allow some time to bring it back to room temperature before shaping and cooking the noodles.

5. If using a traditional carbon steel wok, it’s important to heat it to a high temperature before stir-frying. This will create a non-stick effect. However, if using a wok with non-stick coating, you shouldn’t heat it up empty. Instead, heat up with oil in.

The post Spicy Cumin Lamb Noodles (Easy Hand-torn Version) appeared first on Red House Spice.