清炖羊肉
This is one of my favorite new creations lately! Lamb is one of my favorite meats (second only behind duck), and this dish is a perfect way to highlight its intense flavor. 清炖 allows the meat to shine, not to mention the end result is incredibly tender. I think lamb ribs are by in far the best cut to use for this cooking technique, but realistically any cut of lamb would probably work. Definitely would recommend giving this a try - it's really simple but the end result is so delicious.
Active Time: 20 min
Total Time: 2 hr 45 min
Ingredients
> lamb (I like to use ribs for this)
> star anise, Sichuan peppercorn
> ginger, garlic, green onion
> salt, soy sauce
Instructions
1. Prep. Peel and thinly slice ginger. Peel and lightly crush ginger. Chop green onion into ~4cm pieces.
2. In a pot, combine water, salt, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, green onion, star anise, and Sichuan peppercorn. Bring the mixture up to a boil.
3. Add in the lamb, ensure that it's entirely submerged, and reduce the heat down to medium or medium low. Cover and cook for about 2.5 hours, or to your preferred texture.
4. Serve and enjoy!
Notes/Tips:
> Technically, a 清炖 dish should not include any soy sauce. But I do like to add a small amount of soy sauce, perhaps a tablespoon or two. I find that it adds a complexity of flavor that just salt doesn't give. Most of the seasoning still does come from the salt though, so the resulting liquid is still relatively clear in color.
> This cooking technique works really well for lamb because of its intense flavor. With that in mind, don't go overboard with the amount of spices - I'd recommend no more than 1 star anise, although you can be a bit more generous with the Sichuan peppercorns.
> The resulting liquid makes an excellent soup for noodles (as you see in the picture above). However, there will likely be a lot of lamb fat rendered out, which would lead to an uncomfortably greasy dish if you ate it immediately. Lamb noodle soup is best the next day: refrigerating the lamb congeals the fat, making it really easy to remove. Rendered lamb fat is difficult to tell apart from braising liquid due to the relatively clear color.
> Feel free to adjust the cooking time to your own preference. I like my lamb very tender, so I cook it longer than most would.