Lamb is not a standard item on southern Chinese menus. It is much more common in northern and central China. The prejudice against lamb may be discerned in a southern saying: ‘There are 72 ways of cooking lamb; most of them result in something quite unpalatable’. But this is unfair to lamb. As this recipe shows, it lends itself to imaginative uses. The most tender cuts, such as steaks and chops, are best for this dish.
Hunan (where Mao was born) is famous for its rather fiery cuisine. Chilli bean and hoisin sauces, as in this recipe, are among the spices most often employed. If you prefer something a bit milder than the hot Hunanese style, simply reduce the amount of chilli bean sauce. For a complete meal, serve with rice (see here) and a vegetable dish.
| Hot and spicy |
| Preparation time 30 minutes |
| Serves 4 |
450 g (1 lb) lean lamb steak or fillet, or boned loin chops
1 tablespoon groundnut (peanut) oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions (scallions), white part only
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons finely shredded fresh root ginger
1 tablespoon chilli bean sauce
1½ tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
FOR THE MARINADE:
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1½ teaspoons cornflour (cornstarch)
1 Cut the lamb into thin slices and put them into a bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients, mix well and leave to marinate for 20 minutes. Then drain off and reserve the marinade.
2 Heat a wok or large frying pan and add the groundnut oil. When it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the marinated lamb pieces with just a little of the reserved marinade. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
3 Add the spring onions, garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 2 minutes longer. Add the chilli bean sauce, hoisin sauce and sugar and continue to stir-fry for 2 minutes.
4 Stir in the sesame oil, turn the mixture on to a warm serving platter and serve immediately.