Spicy Cumin Goat

(4 servings)

Preparation time: 60 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes

This dish comes from the Xinjiang region in China & is a staple in the Chinese Muslim community. Traditionally it is made with lamb, but I decided to use goat instead here. Growing up we ate a lot of goat in my family and I just feel goat has a deeper flavor. You can also use thinly sliced pork as a substitute if you like. I gave pork a try when I was visiting my sister’s and it came out just as good! If any of you have visited Xian famous foods in NYC, you know exactly what I am talking about. If you do try this recipe, leave us a comment!

Ingredients:

Marinate:

• 1 pound boneless goat (Cut in thin strips)
• 1 tablespoon chinese cooking wine 
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

Spice Mix:

• 3 tablespoons cumin powder
• 2 teaspoons Sichuan chili flakes (or Korean chili flakes)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Sichuan peppercorns

For the Stir Fry:

• Sesame Oil
• 2-3 whole dried red chilis
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ tablespoon chili oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 spring onion (cut in 1 inch pieces)
• 1 tablespoon sliced ginger
• 3 large cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 bunch bok choy

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the marinate ingredients with the sliced goat (I prefer the goat to be sliced thin but if you like chunkier pieces then you could cut in cubes of about 1 cm. It will just need to be cooked a little longer) – soy sauce, cooking wine and salt in a big bowl. Mix well. Let marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature at a minimum. Preferably you can do this the night before and leave in the refrigerator overnight.

When you are ready to cook add the cornstarch and stir until all the goat pieces are coated. Heat oil (~3 tablespoons) in a large skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add the goat pieces and fry until golden brown on both sides (about 1 minute on each side). Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Your pan should still have some oil and juices left in it. If needed don’t hesitate to add additional oil (about 1-2 tablespoons). The traditional dish from Xinjiang is quite oily. I have reduced the amount of oil here considerably. Add the dried chilis, onion, spring onions, ginger, and garlic. Stir and cook until the onion just starts to turn tender. Add back the goat and sprinkle the spice mix all over. Stir well to coat the goat and the other ingredients. Add the soy sauce and the chili oil and stir. Adjust for salt. Add the cilantro and give it a final stir.

Serve hot with hand pulled noodles or steamed rice.