Crispy Lamb With Cumin, Scallions and Red Chiles Recipe (2024)

As noted in the list of ingredients, it's important to use only the white and green parts of the scallions. Discard the orange and purple parts, or use in another recipe. Hope this is helpful.

Hello, People! The recipe calls for cumin seeds! -- not powdered cumin! That's why you (mistakenly) thought there was too much cumin. And you also do not need an alternative to the prescribed chilis. If you follow the recipe -- and don't eat the chilis (they are not meant to be eaten!) -- it will not be too spicy.

Actually, avoid that - there's a reason there are never vegetables in regional Chinese dishes like this. They'll soak up all the oils and make them worse than not having them in the first place.

Suggestions to improve upon this recipe:
- Cut off any bits of fat prior to marinating the lamb. You are not cooking this long enough to render out the fat, and it will become very chewy if left on.
- Use 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds, not 2 TBSP.
- Alternate to red chilies: try Serranos (a couple cut, de-seeded & de-veined for eating; and a few whole, not to be eaten) combined with slices of 1/2 red bell pepper. This will provide nice color & a good amount of heat.
- Serve with rice

I believe Gary was joking - what other parts of the scallion are there besides the green and white? So it kind of sounds funny to say "use ONLY the white and green parts."!! :)

The recipe could have used more commentary. First, the lamb is briefly cooked and should not have much fat or it will be unpleasantly chewy. Second, the author might have reassured readers that the amount of cumin — cumin seeds, not ground—is correct Third, the measurement and type of chiles should be clarified. Fourth, scallions only come in green and white. Fifth, if you use a skillet, make it cast iron. Sixth, the photo is from a different recipe. And the ratio of result to effort is high.

Also - an hour marinating means its not a 30 minute recipe.

It seems as if the secret is using ultra-high heat and an oil that has a high burn point. (I used grapeseed oil but peanut would also work.) Don't even think about using a non-stick pan. Carbon steel only. I did the whole dish outside over a propane burner made for a turkey fryer. I got the wok screeching hot so it was nearly glowing red before I added the lamb. Be prepared to work really fast to prevent burning. I tried to replicate the wok burner in Chinese restaurants. Very tasty dish.

Read ALL the notes before I dived in:- I’m cooking on gas in a carbon steel wok. Crust on the lamb was no problem. - Yes, add garlic with the shallots/spring onions- Yes, add some sort of greens at this stage also. I used kale - delicious.- Yes, add a little liquid to the greens and cover them so they steam a bit. I just used a little more rice wine.Next time, I’ll add some red peppers for a little sweetness to balance. Served mine with good noodles. REALLY delicious :)

All Clad cookware will not create the crispy lamb you are looking for. If you have a cast iron skillet, use it instead.

Use Sichuan Peppercorns!

Dish came out amazing. Sauteed 4 cloves of sliced garlic with the cumin and chili peppers. Also, in order for the lamb to come out crispy. I tossed it in the egg white and rice wine mixture and then dredged it in corn starch.

It was overpowered by too much cumin! I would add just a teaspoon....and I like cumin!

this had just the right amount of cumin! really curious about everyone who said there was too much... were you using cumin seeds or cumin powder?

I don't know what happened...used a carbon wok, followed directions exactly. It was grey and flavorless. Didn't resemble the picture whatsoever. Really disappointing.

Dumbfounded by time estimate on this one. Says to marinade for an hour, cooking done in 10 mins Gotta pay close attention to these things, that’s what we pay for

This was an amazing dish!! The flavors melded so well and really enhanced each other. Don't change a thing.

We REALLY enjoyed this dish. It was fast, easy, and delicious. We did cook it outside over a big gas burner. I think it would have been difficult to get the same cook inside on a stove.

Oh. My. Added garlic. And lemon, at the end.

I made this with beef sirloin because my market does not stock a lot of lamb. Additionally, I substituted Sichuan peppercorns for black peppercorns and avocado oil for vegetable oil. I got great compliments all around!

Can't get Lamb where I'm from. Will chicken work?

Anyone tried this with boneless skinless chicken thighs?

"...scallions, white and green parts only..."What else is there (apart from the roots)?

I would like to try it with powdered cumin and ground lamb. How much cumin should I use?

I don't do a lot with this cut of lamb and I will say it was fatty. I did trim it but it still ended up chewy I would say at least a third of the lamb was fat. I will investigate a leaner cut.I had no issue with the 2 tbs of cumin. It tasted great.I added cooked lo mien noodles for the last minute of frying and got a good one dish meal. I will revisit with a better cut of lamb. Also I will cook it a little longer then the two minutes specified.

Comparing the image to the directions. There is a heck of a lot more than 2 Tablespoons of red chiles in the dish

Hi,In the last line of the notes Julia says " it is always cooked with garlic" so it may have been an oversight, but I think garlic is a good add. I have also seen garlic included in other recipes like this. Also, there are three parts to a scallion, white, pale green, and the dark green tops . I think she wants you to leave out the dark green tops. I think the person who added 10 2" chile de arbol is right-on as clearly 2 TBS of whole chiles has to be wrong and the picture shows whole chiles.

All my crispies were left behind in the pan! Not sure what I did wrong here. The only thing I did differently was to use Sichuan pepper instead of black pepper. Otherwise the flavors were great and I would definitely try this again and try to make the lamb crispy. Maybe use some leeks and garlic instead of scallions.

Easy, tastes great.