Cumin Lamb Skewers

Lamb Skewers with Cumin and Chili, they are absolutely amazing and delish.

I love spices. I think that’s pretty obvious if you follow my blog. Most of my favorite dishes are made with heavy doses of spices, exotic spices!

Growing up in Malaysia, which is a core part of the ancient spice route, I pretty much grew up with spices in my DNA.

I can’t live without spices, if I make something plain, there is always a side dish of spice-laden concoction to jazz things up.

If you love spices, then it’s very likely that you love cumin. I love cumin, the exotic and distinctive aroma and flavor it lends to the dish is simply beyond words. I grew up eating lots of Nyonya food made by my late grandmother and aunt and many recipes call for the use of cumin.

With the earthy note and fragrance it lend to the dishes, it’s no surprise that I love cumin lamb, an iconic dish from Xinjiang, a region in China.

I have had many wonderful cumin lamb in China during my past visits, and the most addictive of all is the cumin lamb skewers (called “Yang Rou Chuan” in Chinese), sold by native Xinjiang people in places such as Beijing. I could eat so many skewers of them.

Since summer is in full swing, you can make cumin lamb skewers for your summer parties. They are great, absolutely mouthwatering, and best of all, the smell that lingers and set your mouth watering.

Try them instead of the regular chicken and beef. They will add so much more flavors to your summer!

How Many Calories per Serving?

This recipe is only 142 calories per serving.

What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?

For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

Singapore Noodles

Fried Cuttlefish Balls (炸墨鱼丸)

Curry Clams

Ayam Masak Merah (Chicken in Spicy Tomato Sauce)

Yield: 8 sticks

Cumin Lamb Skewers

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Lamb Skewers with Cumin and Chili, they are absolutely amazing and delish.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 28 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb. (0.4 kg) boneless lamb shoulder, cut meat into 1-inch cubes, 1/2-inch x 1/2-inch in diameters
• Ground cumin and chili powder mix, dust on lamb skewers before serving, (optional)
• Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

Spice Marinade:

• 1/3 cup peanut oil or cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons tablespoons ground cumin
• 2/3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon Spice Mix, ground: cumin, coriander and fennel seeds powder
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns, crushed, (optional)
• 2/3 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

Instructions

1. Prepare the Spice Marinade. In a bowl, mix all the Spice Marinade ingredients. Marinate lamb cubes for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Thread the marinated lamb cubes onto skewers (3-5 cubes per stick, depending how long the skewer is).
3. Preheat the grill for 10 minutes. Set the lamb skewers onto the grill rack. Grill lamb skewers for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until meat is completely cooked. Remove lamb skewers from griller. Dust the lamb skewers with Spice Mix (optional) and ready to serve as is, with beer and/or a salad.

Notes

For the Spice Mix, you need 1 tablespoonful in total, with the combination of cumin, coriander and fennel. The ratio depends on you. For this recipe, I used 1 part cumin, 1/2 part coriander and 1/2 part fennel and sums up to 1 tablespoonful of Spice Mix.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

8 sticks
Amount Per Serving Calories 142Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 23mgSodium 233mgCarbohydrates 3gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 8g