Spicy cabbage and lamb
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 4
- Dietary
- Dairy-freeEgg-freeNut-free
This spicy lamb and cabbage is an easy one-pan dinner with Sichuan pepper, chilli and Chinese black vinegar. Serve with chilli oil for an extra kick.
For this recipe you’ll need a large frying pan or casserole.
Ingredients
- 400g/14oz lamb mince
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp MSG or chicken powder (see Recipe Tips)
- 1 brown onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 hispi cabbage, halved and thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 thumb-sized piece fresh root ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar, plus extra to taste (optional)
- 1 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 tsp chicken gravy granules or chicken powder
- 1 tbsp doubanjiang
- 2 tbsp neutral oil, for frying
- 1 pinch sugar (optional)
- extra dried chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 fresh chilli, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 handful spring onion greens, chopped
- 1 handful fresh coriander, chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- chilli oil, to serve (optional)
Method
Put the lamb in a mixing bowl with the bicarbonate of soda, dried chilli flakes, cumin, a pinch of salt, MSG or chicken powder and a splash of water. Mix well, cover and leave for 30 minutes. The bicarbonate of soda helps to tenderise the lamb and keep it juicy as it cooks.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or casserole over a high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the lamb and fry for 5–10 minutes, breaking it into chunks, until browned and cooked through. Break it up as much as you’d like. I prefer to leave quite big chunks so that I can pick them up with a fork.
Add the onion and pepper and fry for 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, garlic and ginger and stir well.
Add the soy sauce, vinegar, Sichuan peppercorns, gravy granules or chicken powder and doubanjiang. Stir well, add 2 tablespoons water, then reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10–15 minutes.
Remove the lid and stir in most of the spring onion and coriander, reserving a little of each to serve. Season with salt and pepper and add a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Taste and, if needed, add the extra vinegar, sugar, dried chilli flakes or fresh chilli, to taste.
Spoon into bowls and scatter over the reserved spring onion and coriander. Serve topped with a dollop of chilli oil, if using.
Recipe tips
MSG and chicken powder can be found in Asian supermarkets and online. Chicken powder is very similar to chicken bouillon.
