{"id":25660,"date":"2020-07-21T10:07:03","date_gmt":"2020-07-21T14:07:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/omnivorescookbook.com\/?p=25660"},"modified":"2024-12-24T14:32:43","modified_gmt":"2024-12-24T19:32:43","slug":"cumin-lamb-noodles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/omnivorescookbook.com\/cumin-lamb-noodles\/","title":{"rendered":"Cumin Lamb Noodles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Restaurant-style cumin lamb noodles are made with homemade hand-pulled noodles and tender chunks of lamb that make for a bold taste in an addictive chili oil sauce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve been to New York, perhaps you\u2019ve heard of Xi\u2019an Famous Foods<\/a>. This restaurant is legendary for its cumin lamb noodles and Chinese pork burgers<\/a>. And if you haven\u2019t been, until you can come here and experience them yourself, you can make them in your own kitchen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Homemade<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This dish is definitely not a weeknight dinner if you want to make it with homemade hand-pulled noodles<\/a>, but it is absolutely worth every effort. In the original recipe, the secret sauce for cumin lamb noodles uses 30 spices! Don\u2019t worry, my version of cumin lamb noodles takes an easier approach to recreating this heavenly and boldly flavored dish that tastes just as great.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chinese<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My version of cumin lamb noodles also uses ingredients that are closer to what I found when I was traveling in Xi\u2019an. I added cilantro and skipped out on the celery and cabbage that the restaurant uses in its famous recipe. But one thing I didn\u2019t skip is making the hand-pulled noodles. That\u2019s what really gives this dish the Xi\u2019an Famous Foods\u2019 flavor and style. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have a recipe for hand-pulled noodles<\/a> and I promise, they are really easy to make, even if you\u2019ve never made homemade noodles or pasta before in your life. And believe me, they taste so much better. You\u2019ll see the reason why I include as my favorite in my Authentic Chinese noodle recipes<\/a> collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Cumin<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lamb meat & cutting method<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What cut of lamb to use<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A well-marbled cut is the best, such as loin or shoulder. However, a tender and fatty cut might be hard to come by. You can ask your local butcher for a recommendation depending on the availability. If they carry large pieces of stew meat, you might be able to cut them into slices and use them in this recipe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to cut lamb meat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Handling the lamb meat properly is key to making a great plate of stir fry. Sometimes you might get a cut with a lot of connective tissue, like the lamb shoulder I got from Whole Foods. It\u2019s important to remove these tough white parts and membrane-like layers. Otherwise they will end up very tough and chewy once cooked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To get the best taste, we used whole spices, dry roast them to release fragrance, then grind them fresh. It doubles the fragrance you usually get from using ground spices. I highly recommend you to do the same for this dish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Roasting<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also very important to cut and prepare all the ingredients before you start cooking. Lamb meat is prone to overcooking and will taste like dry cardboard if you do not move fast enough during the cooking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOTE: Sorry I forgot to include the cut cilantro in the photo below! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Ingredients<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Alternative to hand-pulled noodles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you do not want to make hand-pulled noodles, the best alternative is the wide semi-fresh noodles. You can usually get them at an Asian market\u2019s refrigerated section. They might be labeled \u201cpulled noodles\u201d, “planed noodles”, \u201csliced noodles\u201d, or \u201ccut noodles\u201d. There are several brands I like including the package shown below. You can usually judge by the look of the noodles, they are fatty and wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cooking process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019re done prepping, the actual cooking process is actually super fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Sear the lamb<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Add the aromatics – ginger and garlic<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Add the onion and pepper for a quick stir fry<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Mix with the dry spices<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Pour in the sauce<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Quickly mix again<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Mix with the cilantro<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Add to the plate of noodles and serve<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"How<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Chili oil alert<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    This dish is a phenomenal and indulgent treat. You\u2019ll \u2018WOW\u2019 guests at a dinner gathering or have a wonderful dinner for two on the weekend. However, be advised that this is NOT a diet-friendly dish. Cumin lamb noodles use a lot of homemade chili oil<\/a> (half a cup, as a matter of fact!) to create the sauce just like the restaurant\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I get it that might be a lot of oil for you, but you can reduce it to 1\/4 cup and simply add more when you serve it. Don\u2019t worry\u2026homemade chili oil is not super spicy so you won\u2019t wind up with more heat than you can handle, just bold-tasting flavors in every bite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Hand-pulled<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    PS. Xi\u2019an Famous Foods Will release a cookbook<\/a> on Oct 17th, 2020. I\u2019ve pre-ordered and I can\u2019t wait to compare my version with theirs. And of course, learning all the recipes of my favorite dishes from the restaurant. Check out their book<\/a> if you like the food as much as I do!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Serve Cumin Lamb Noodles with<\/h2>\n\n\n\n