Why Not Use Lamb in a Stir-Fry?

I tend to get trapped making the same dishes over and over.  It’s the easy way out since I hate hearing complaints from family members when they’re presented with a dish they’ve never seen before.

Sometimes when I’m trying something new, I make it resemble a dish I know they already like.  That approach can backfire if they decide they don’t like that dish after all and ask me never to make it again.  This time though, when I made my friend Abby’s lamb stir-fry recipe, the plan worked.

My go-to meats for stir-fry have traditionally been pork, chicken or beef.  When I used lamb and a few different spices, I didn’t mention the changes.  I just served dinner as usual, and everyone asked for seconds.  Later I quietly added my new recipe to my repertoire.

Stir-Fried Lamb – serves 3-4 

1 tablespoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons Szechuan peppercorns or regular peppercorns
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more if you like highly-spiced food
1 pound boneless lamb, cut into 1/2-inch-cubes (I used 2 shoulder chops with the fat removed)
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
1 large onion, chopped roughly
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cups cooked rice (optional) 

Spice Mixture: Heat the cumin seeds and peppercorns in a dry frying pan over medium heat for about 1 minute, or until they sizzle.  Remove from the heat and transfer to a plate or a mortar.  When cool, crush with the bowl of a spoon or a pestle.  Add the ground cumin, salt and cayenne pepper and mix well. 

Transfer the lamb to a bowl and sprinkle with the spice mixture.  Stir until the lamb pieces are partially coated. 

Add the oil to a large frying pan and begin heating over high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the onion pieces, red bell pepper slices and garlic and stir until they begin to soften. 

Add the lamb and stir-fry for about 1-to-2 minutes, or until it has begun to brown.  Add the wine and soy sauce and continue cooking for 1 more minute, or until the lamb is fully browned.  Transfer to a bowl and serve with rice.

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