Stir Fried Lamb with Green Peppers
Instructions:
- Green peppers are a natural with lamb because their bitterness
cuts through the richness of the meat. (If bitterness
isn’t your thing, substitute a pound of green beans.)
Other cuts and meats you can use: beef sirloin or tenderloin;
thinly sliced pork tenderloin; fresh ham, loin, or
shoulder.
- 1/4 cup fermented black beans
- 1/4 cup rice wine, sherry, sake, white wine, or water
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
- 3 or 4 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced
- 1 pound boneless lamb, preferably from the shoulder (leg is okay), cut into thin slices
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1/3 cup chicken stock or water
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 cup chopped scallion
- Soak the black beans in the wine. Put 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the peppers and cook, stirring only occasionally, until they brown and soften, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl. Add another tablespoon of the oil to the skillet.
- When hot, add the lamb, a couple of pieces at a time. Do not crowd; you may need to cook the lamb in 2 batches.
- Brown well on each side, then transfer to the bowl with the peppers.
- Add the remaining oil, along with the garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, then add the pepper-lamb mixture, along with the soaked beans and their liquid, the stock, and the soy sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is somewhat reduced (if it dries out, add a little more stock or water), 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the scallion and serve over white rice.
- Stir-Fried Lamb with Chile, Cumin, and Garlic.
- Use lamb shoulder and cut it into 11/2-inch cubes (freeze it until firm but not hard to make the cutting easier). Toast 1 tablespoon cumin seeds (don’t use preground here) in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Toss the lamb with the cumin, 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes or to taste, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and salt and pepper; marinate for up to 24 hours (in the refrigerator if longer than an hour). Cook the lamb as directed in Step 2, then add 1 cup roughly chopped scallion and cook until softened and the meat is done (it’s best if it’s just about medium). Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve immediately.