Spicy Cumin Lamb Skewers (Yang Rou Chuan) Recipe
A Beijing street food straight from your own grill.
Servings: 3 people
Equipment
- BBQ with lid
- Bamboo skewers
- Pestle & mortar
Ingredients
- ½ tbsp red chilly flakes
- ½ tbsp whole cumin seeds
- 1 tsp whole fennel seeds
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 500 g boneless lamb shoulder meat cut into 1-inch pieces (see notes)
- ½ tbsp vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
Instructions
- Submerge the bamboo skewers in a container of cold water and let them soak for at least 2 hours or even overnight.
- In a pestle and mortar or spice grinder, coarsely grind chilly flakes, cumin, and fennel. Add granulated garlic and kosher salt and briefly grind to break salt into smaller pieces and thoroughly combine ingredients.
- Reserve 1 tablespoon of the spice mix in a small bowl. Add lamb to a large bowl and toss thoroughly with the remaining spice mix, oil, and Shaoxing wine. Thread lamb onto skewers, making sure meat is bunched tightly together and leaving no parts of the skewer exposed except for a 3-inch handle at the bottom, and the pointy tip at the top.
- Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.
- Grill skewers, covered, over indirect heat until lamb is nearly cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
- Move skewers over direct heat, sprinkle with the reserved spice mix, and cook until well seared on both sides, about 1 minute total.
- Remove skewers from the grill and serve right away.
Notes
For the most flavourful, tender, and juicy skewers, don't trim off any of the fat from the shoulder chops. Pre-soaking the bamboo skewers for at least two hours or even overnight before using is an important step to prevent them from burning during grilling.
Coarsely grinding the spices ensures they don't become pasty when wet.
Lamb shoulder chops offer the perfect balance of fat and meat for juicy, tender, flavorful skewers.
Ican't resist meat on a stick. There is just something about seeing skewered chunks of meat slowly cooking over an open fire that pulls me in. Every country has its own version of the kebab, but in Beijing, China, you're likely to find lamb rubbed with chile peppers and cumin. Called yang rou chuan, these spicy lamb skewers are one of the city's most popular street foods. And they should be just as popular at home. Like most meat on a stick, yang rou chuan is portable, flavorful, cooks in minutes, and is incredibly easy to make—all good reasons to consider it for your next cookout. Originally found on serious eats
Lamb shoulder chops offer the perfect balance of fat and meat for juicy, tender, flavorful skewers.
Ican't resist meat on a stick. There is just something about seeing skewered chunks of meat slowly cooking over an open fire that pulls me in. Every country has its own version of the kebab, but in Beijing, China, you're likely to find lamb rubbed with chile peppers and cumin. Called yang rou chuan, these spicy lamb skewers are one of the city's most popular street foods. And they should be just as popular at home. Like most meat on a stick, yang rou chuan is portable, flavorful, cooks in minutes, and is incredibly easy to make—all good reasons to consider it for your next cookout. Originally found on serious eats