Pork, beef & lamb

Cumin Lamb Noodle Base

Name: Cumin Lamb Noodle Base
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 800g lean lamb leg, thin strips; 20g cumin seeds; 4g (2 tsp) Sichuan peppercorns; 6g (1 tbsp) chilli flakes; 6 (5g) dried red chillies, snipped in half; 2 (300g) onions, sliced; 2 (320g) mixed peppers, sliced; 6 cloves (30g) garlic, finely chopped; 20g fresh ginger, grated; 45ml soy sauce; 30ml Shaoxing rice wine; 10g light brown sugar; 15g cornflour; 4 (60g) spring onions, sliced; 30ml rapeseed oil; 250ml water

Xi'an-style strips of lamb stir-fried with lots of toasted cumin, chilli and Sichuan pepper, onion and peppers in a savoury soy glaze, made for noodles.

makes 22 blocks, about 67p each

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Illustration of a bowl of Cumin Lamb Noodle Base

Time: 40 min20 min prep · 20 min cook
Makes: 22 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 67p
Calories per blockCalories: 86 kcal
Spice

Ingredients

Batch size

blocks

800glean lamb leg, thin strips
20gcumin seeds
4g (2 tsp)Sichuan peppercorns
6g (1 tbsp)chilli flakes
6 (5g)dried red chillies, snipped in half
2 (300g)onions, sliced
2 (320g)mixed peppers, sliced
6 cloves (30g)garlic, finely chopped
20gfresh ginger, grated
45mlsoy sauce
30mlShaoxing rice wine
10glight brown sugar
15gcornflour
4 (60g)spring onions, sliced
30mlrapeseed oil
250mlwater

Allergens: Gluten, Soya, Sulphites. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Nutrition

estimated

	1 block	3 blocks
Energy	86 kcal	258 kcal
Protein	8.5g	25.5g
Carbs	4.6g	13.8g
Fat	3.7g	11.1g
Fibre	1.1g	3.3g
Salt	0.39g	1.17g

Method

Step 1: Toss the lamb with 10g of the cornflour and 15ml of the soy sauce.
Step 2: Toast the cumin seeds and Sichuan peppercorns in a dry wok over a medium heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Tip out and crush coarsely.
Step 3: Heat 20ml of the oil in the wok over a very high heat and stir-fry the lamb in three batches until browned, then lift it out. (2–3 min per batch)
Step 4: Add the rest of the oil and stir-fry the onions and peppers for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli flakes, dried chillies and the crushed spices for 1 minute.
Step 5: Mix the rest of the soy sauce, the rice wine, sugar, remaining cornflour and water. Pour it in with the lamb and simmer for 2 minutes until glossy.
Step 6: Stir in the spring onions, then cool and freeze in 70g blocks.

Milder: halve the chilli flakes and leave out the dried chillies.

Serve it

Tossed through wide wheat noodles with coriander · Over steamed rice with smacked cucumber · Stuffed into flatbreads with shredded lettuce

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	86	8.5g	4.6g	3.7g	1.1g	0.39g
Per 3 blocks	258	25.5g	13.8g	11.1g	3.3g	1.17g

Cook’s notes

To serve 1: cook 1 nest of wide wheat noodles, reheat 3 blocks with 2 tbsp water, then toss together.
Lamb leg steaks are the easiest lean cut to slice. Firm them in the freezer for 30 minutes first.
The dried chillies are for flavour and look; leave them in the blocks or pick them out when serving.

Serve it

Tossed through wide wheat noodles with coriander · Over steamed rice with smacked cucumber · Stuffed into flatbreads with shredded lettuce.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 258 kcal and 25.5g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Cumin Lamb Noodle Base questions

Can I use lamb mince?

Yes. Brown 800g lamb mince over a high heat until crisp, spoon off the fat, and skip the cornflour coating. Add the spices and sauce in the same way.

What can I use instead of Shaoxing wine?

Dry sherry is the closest swap. For no alcohol, use 30ml water with 1 tsp rice vinegar.

Why toast the cumin whole?

Toasting whole seeds brings out a deep, nutty flavour, and crushing them coarsely leaves crunchy pieces that cling to the lamb. Ground cumin tastes flatter and turns muddy.