Bold Cumin Lamb Noodles (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Noodles

01 - 1 portion of hand-pulled noodles or large wheat noodles (see note 1)

→ Spice Mix

02 - 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, whole
03 - 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
04 - 2 tablespoons cumin seeds, whole

→ Meat & Marinade

05 - 1 tablespoon dry sherry or Shaoxing wine
06 - 1 lb lamb, sliced thinly (pick a fatty cut like shoulder or loin) against the grain
07 - 1 teaspoon of any neutral oil like peanut or vegetable
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch for coating

→ Sauce

10 - 3 tablespoons black vinegar (Chinkiang)
11 - 4 teaspoons dark soy sauce
12 - 1/4 cup of Shaoxing wine or its substitute, dry sherry
13 - 4 teaspoons regular soy sauce
14 - 1/2 cup of chili oil (or more if you like it spicy; see note 3 for details)

→ Stir Fry

15 - 8 garlic cloves, minced or finely chopped
16 - 1 hot green chili, sliced thin
17 - 1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil for frying
18 - 1 red onion, sliced thinly
19 - 2 inches of fresh ginger, minced
20 - 1 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped (makes a big, heaping cup)

# Instructions:

01 - Start by prepping your noodle dough if you’re making them from scratch. Bring a pot of water to a boil ahead of time so it’s ready once you’re done cooking the lamb.
02 - Heat up cumin, peppercorns, and coriander in a dry pan on medium-low. Toss them every few seconds to prevent burning. Once they smell amazing and begin to pop (5 minutes), take them off the heat and grind roughly with a heavy pan, spice grinder, or mortar.
03 - Mix the lamb slices with wine, oil, salt, and 2 teaspoons of the crushed spices. Coat everything well. Lastly, add cornstarch, mixing with your hands to evenly cover each piece. Let this sit for about 15 minutes.
04 - Get a large skillet screaming hot, then pour in some oil. Toss in the marinated lamb and spread it out evenly. Place garlic and ginger over it. Let it brown for 30 seconds to one minute. Start stirring occasionally and cook until all sides are nicely browned and the garlic looks golden.
05 - Throw onion and green chili into the skillet. Toss them for 10 seconds. Sprinkle in the spice mix and stir to coat everything. Pour in your sauce to deglaze the skillet and scrape up browned bits at the bottom. Cook for another 30 seconds. Turn off the heat, gently fold in cilantro, and immediately transfer the mixture onto a plate.
06 - If you’re using hand-stretched noodles, pull and toss them into boiling water for a minute or two. For packaged ones, just cook following the packet’s directions. Once ready, distribute the noodles into four bowls.
07 - Spoon the lamb and its sauce over the bowls of noodles. Add a splash of extra soy sauce, vinegar, or chili oil as you like. Serve it fresh and hot!

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