Cumin Lamb Stir fry 孜然羊肉

Growing up in Southern China, we didn’t eat much lamb. And when we did, they were often made into soups and stews. Lamb and beef are more readily eaten in Northern Chinese regions. Now I still don’t make lamb at home often because the taste of lamb can be too much for my young kids.

But when we go to Chinese restaurants, a dish that we order every time is the Cumin Lamb 孜然羊肉. We love the earthy flavours of the combination of cumin and chilli along with the strong flavoured meat. The dish is aggressively seasoned with spices and yet not assaulting on the taste buds. It’s a dish that, myself ( a spice queen) and my husband ( a spice novice) can both agree on.

Now whenever I see a good piece of lamb in the grocery store, I pick it up to make cumin lamb at home. Because I’ve developed an easy to do recipe that hits the spot and yields the most tender meat morsels.

The star of the dish is obviously the lamb. And it’s cooked fast over high heat, so it’s wise to choose a cut that doesn’t require long cooking. I find that leg is really great for this as it’s got lots of lean muscle without too much fat and/or connective tissues.

Few other ingredients needed

It’s also easy to do at home because for a stir fry, there isn’t too much chopping involved. While some recipes calls for aromatics like garlic and ginger, my recipe focuses on the main flavours of the cumin and chill powders.

Other supporting characters that brings this dish together include plenty of onions and fresh cilantro. I understand that not everyone is a fan of cilantro, if that’s the case, skip it and increase the amount of onions. Just cut the additional onion into slices instead of dice.

And there you have it…a super speedy way to making Cumin Lamb that is healthier and equally as tasty as the one from your local Chinese restaurant. Try it yourself!

Want other stir fry Chinese Classics? Check out

Yu Xiang Rou Si / “Fish-Fragrant” Stir Fry Pork 鱼香肉丝
Chinese Lemon Chicken 柠檬鸡
Gong Bao Chicken 宫保鸡丁