Mains | RecipeTin Eats

Xinjiang Cumin Lamb Stir Fry

Nagi — Mon, 29 May 2023 06:00:00 +0000

A cumin spiced lamb dish might sound totally un-Chinese, but it’s actually authentic and very on-trend! Hailing from Xinjiang province, this Cumin Lamb stir fry is one of the best easy new recipes I’ve tried in months.

Xinjiang Cumin Lamb Stir Fry

New recipes that truly catch me by surprise are few and far between these days. But this one did – and hit it so far out of the park that I declared I must share the recipe “immediately”!

Succulent pieces of lamb generously flavoured with a cumin-sichuan pepper spice mix, golden on the outside and astonishingly tender inside. This is a dish from the Xinjiang province of China where the food is heavily influenced by food of the Middle East, reflecting the predominantly Muslim population. It’s an absolute dead ringer for the ones I’ve had at restaurants, quick to make, and so good I couldn’t stop eating it straight out of the pan.

But what surprised me the most was the ingredients. Everything from the local grocery store.

Even if you are not familiar with Cumin Lamb, if you love Chinese and Middle Eastern food, I guarantee you will love this!

Xinjiang Cumin Lamb backstory – Xinjiang is a province in the north-west of China, situated on the ancient Silk Road that connected China with the Middle East and Europe. With a predominantly Muslim population, the food of Xinjiang is unlike most Chinese food you probably are familiar with. There’s less soy sauce, no pork, and less rice. Instead, think fragrant spices, lots of lamb, flatbreads, skewers, pilafs and richly spiced sauces. Cumin lamb skewers and today’s Cumin Lamb Stir Fry are two signature dishes from the region. Tarim Uyghur in Auburn (Sydney) is highly rated by the community.

Recipe credit: Today’s recipe is adapted from Real-Deal Xinjiang Cumin Lamb recipe from a wonderful website called Omnivore’s Cookbook, one of my trusted sources for authentic Chinese cooking. I made a few minor tweaks to streamline but the flavour is bang on!

Ingredients in Cumin Lamb

Here’s what you need to make this lamb stir fry.

Marinade & spice mix

Lamb & marinade

Lamb cut – I recommend using lamb leg or rump. Good lamb flavour, not too fatty, suitable for quick cooking. More expensive cuts such as backstrap or cutlets are wasted on a stir fry (in my humble opinion) especially given we can tenderise the lamb using the Chinese velveting method (just a touch of baking soda – next point!).
Slow cooking cuts – like shoulder and shank – are a too tough for this recipe (tenderising is not as effective) and most other chops are too fatty.
Baking soda – To tenderise the lamb so it stays beautifully succulent and tender even if it’s kept on the stove for a little longer than ideal. Baking soda is used to velvet chicken and beef in Chinese stir fries too. Tried and loved technique! (Note for velveting-fans: In this recipe we use less baking soda for a larger volume of meat so there’s no need to rinse the baking soda off, you can’t taste it!).
Chinese cooking wine (“Shaoxing wine”) – An essential ingredient for making truly “restaurant standard” Chinese dishes! Substitute with Mirin, cooking sake or dry sherry. Non alcoholic sub – substitute with 2 tablespoons chicken stock/broth.
Cornflour/cornstarch – This creates a light coating on the lamb that the spice mix clings to. Some recipes will have you toss the marinated lamb in cornflour. I tried that, and ended with with a gluey mess. It’s far easier to just mix the cornflour in with the marinade – and the end result is practically the same.
Soy sauce – Either light or all purpose soy sauce. But not dark soy sauce – flavour is too strong and the colour is too intense! More on which soy sauce to use when here.
Salt – For seasoning.

Spice Mix

Cumin – LOTS! 2 whole tablespoons!! This is a bold flavoured dish – and true to its name.
Sichuan pepper (pre-ground) – The cool, numbing, almost lemony spiciness of Sichuan pepper that we all know and love is a signature characteristic of this dish! Completely different to the hot spiciness of powders like cayenne pepper.
Usually I’ll urge you to toast and grind your own, for better flavour. But in this recipe, we (Chef JB and I) tried it with freshly ground and pre-ground and honestly, there was no noticeable difference because the cumin and dried chilli are the dominant flavours here. So feel free to use store bought pre-ground – widely available these days in large grocery stores.
To make your own, dry toast whole peppercorns, cool, grind, sift out lumps, then measure out 1/2 teaspoon powder. Whole peppercorns yield just under half in powder, so start with 1 1/2 teaspoons of Sichuan peppercorns.
Substitute with 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper.
Sugar – Just a small amount, to balance the other flavours. Doesn’t make this dish sweet.

Ground Sichuan pepper

Dried red chillies

For the stir fry

The whole chilli are used for flavour and fragrance, not for eating. They are used in dry form so they are chewy and not very pleasant to eat.

Dried chilli – Asian ones, if you can. But even sub-continent (Indian) chillis or South American chilli will work! As noted above, they are stir fried with the other ingredients for flavour and releasing some heat, but not intended to be eaten. So the exact type and spiciness of the dried chilli is not as important as in other dishes such as Beef Rendang where dried chilli are blitzed into a curry paste.
Ginger and garlic – Plenty, for beautiful aromatics flavour!
Onion – Also for aromatic flavour.
Coriander/cilantro and sesame – Finishes that are tossed in right at the end.

How to make Cumin Lamb Stir Fry

Slices of lamb are marinated for just 30 minutes to tenderise and flavour. The actual cooking part is very quick, as stir fries typically are. Once you start cooking, you’ll be done in less than 5 minutes.

Marinate the sliced lamb with the soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, cornflour/cornstarch, salt and baking soda to tenderise.
Mix the cumin, Sichuan pepper and sugar in a bowl.
Cook the lamb in two batches in a large non-stick skillet for just 1 1/2 minutes until light golden, then remove. The thin slices do not take long to cook!
Sauté the aromatics – garlic, ginger, onion and whole dried chillies.
Add the lamb back in with the spice mix and toss just to coat the lamb in the spices. It doesn’t need to be cooked.
Toss the coriander/cilantro and sesame in, then toss again just to disperse. Then serve immediately!

You will love how tender the lamb pieces are! We deliberately keep the slices not too thin so you get a nice satisfying bite of lamb. Caramelised on the outside, pink and succulent inside!

How to serve Cumin Lamb

This is a dry-style stir fry, which means it is one of those stir fries that doesn’t come with loads of sauce. Absence of sauce is compensated for with robust flavours in the stir fry, like you find in other “dry” stir fries like Kung Pao Chicken, Thai Cashew Chicken and Crispy Mongolian Beef.

So personally, I’m fine serving it with plain white rice though I think some people would prefer a flavoured rice – because there’s no sauce for rice soaking. And I get it. If you’re in that camp, try it with Fried Rice (or the now infamous Emergency “Dump & Bake” Fried Rice if you don’t have day-old cooked rice), Garlic Butter Kale Rice or Buttered Rice. Supreme Soy Noodles will also be great as a side dish, along with steamed Asian Greens with Oyster Sauce.

Love to know what you think if you try this! I know it’s a little more niche than the usual stir fries I share. So that should tell you it’s extra great!! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Xinjiang Cumin Lamb Stir Fry

Recipe video above. A cumin spiced lamb dish might sound totally un-Chinese, but it's actually authentic and very on-trend! Hailing from the Xinjiang province of China, if you love Middle Eastern and Chinese food, you will love this. Bold cumin flavour with tingling "cold" spiciness from Sichuan pepper and earthy chilli flavour (but not spiciness) from the dried chillis.

Spice level – On the upper warm buzz side, but not fiery heat because Sichuan pepper is a different type of spiciness, see note 4.

Recipe credit: Adapted from Real-Deal Xinjiang Cumin Lamb from Omnivore's Cookbook, one of my trusted sources for authentic Chinese cooking. I made a few minor tweaks to streamline but the flavour is bang on!

Course Mains

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword cumin lamb, Lamb stir fry, Xinjiang food

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Marinating 30 minutes

Total Time 18 minutes

Servings

Calories 358cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Lamb & marinade:

500g/ 1 lb boneless lamb leg meat (or rump) , sliced 1/2 cm / 1/5″ thick (Note 1)
1 tbsp soy sauce , light or all-purpose (not dark or sweet)
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Note 2)
1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1 1/4 tsp baking soda , sifted if lumpy (Note 3)
2 tbsp cornflour / cornstarch

Spice mix:

2 tbsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp ground Sichuan pepper (Note 4 to grind your own)

Stir fry:

4 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola, peanut)
1/2 cup dried Chinese chillis , whole, 25-30 pcs (Note 5)
1 onion , halved then sliced 8mm / 1/4" thick
2 tbsp finely minced ginger (~5cm/2″ piece)
5 cloves garlic , finely sliced
1/2 cup coriander/cilantro , roughly chopped
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Plain rice , fried rice – more suggestions listed in post

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Marinade – Combine lamb, soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, salt, baking soda and cornflour in a mixing bowl. Mix well then set aside for marinade for 30 minutes (counter fine).
Spice mix – Mix the ingredients in a small bowl.
Cook lamb – Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large non-stick skillet (30cm/1") over medium-high heat until hot. Add half the lamb and spread out in a single layer. Leave for 30 seconds then, using 2 wooden spoons, toss for a further 1 minute until the lamb is slightly golden. Remove onto a plate then repeat with remaining lamb (you shouldn't need more oil).
Sauté aromatics – Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the dried chilli, ginger and garlic. Stir for 10 seconds to release flavour, then add the onion. Cook for 2 minutes until the onion just starts to soften.
Spiced lamb – Add the cooked lamb then sprinkle the spice mix over. Toss well to evenly coat.
Finish dish – Add the cilantro, sesame seeds and toss. Serve over rice! (Note: the dried chillies are not meant to be eaten.)

Notes

1. Lamb – Butterflied or boneless lamb leg roast meat is my preferred. Rump is similar. Best cut for lamb flavour, not too fatty, and tenderness (baking soda also plays a part, see below). Other lamb chop cuts will work but are smaller/fattier. Shoulder, shanks and other slow cooking cuts aren’t suitable. Pricey backstrap is wasted on this recipe, in my opinion, unless you can get it very cheap! (Save it for this recipe)

Don’t slice too thinly, you want a bit of bite to the lamb pieces. Also, if too thin, it’s hard to cook to make golden as there’s too many really thin pieces!

2. Chinese cooking wine (“Shaoxing wine”) is an essential ingredient for making truly “restaurant standard” Chinese dishes. Substitute with Mirin, cooking sake or dry sherry. Non alcoholic sub – sub with 2 tablespoons chicken stock/broth.

3. Baking soda/bi-carb – Chinese restaurant secret to tenderise meat (called “velveting”). Tried and loved method used by readers for years – see method for chicken and beef for stir fries!

4. Sichuan pepper – Cold spiciness, a bit lemony, rather than hot spiciness you get from normal chilli like cayenne pepper! Usually I recommend grinding your own but in this recipe, pre-ground is just as good. To grind your own, dry toast 1 1/2 tsp, cool, grind, sift out lumps, measure out 1/2 tsp powder.

Substitute with 1/4 teaspoon white pepper.

5. Dried chilli – Any Asian or Indian/sub-continent red dried chillies will be fine here. Primarily used for chilli flavour, sautéed whole, not meant to be eaten. Doesn’t release much spiciness.

6. Leftovers will keep for 3 – 4 days in the fridge. Not suitable for freezing.

Nutrition per serving assuming 4 servings.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

Many of you inquired about the well being of Geoff* when I moved away from the northern beaches. I’m happy to report he is well, and still receiving a stead flow of meals from us! My assistant still lives in the northern beaches so she takes meals to him and I still go to the dog beach (Bayview) on weekends. He is also very well looked after by other locals. Small token of appreciation for how well he looks after the park for us!

Here he is with his companion, Cubby, yesterday morning (Sunday).

You’d think Dozer would be more respectful given he doesn’t see Geoff every day anymore. But no. Still begging for a little taste of the breakfast I gave Geoff not 5 seconds ago. #Shameless!

* Geoff is a local who lives in his van at the dog park/beach. He has special permission from the council to park there. He looks after the park like its his own backyard which is why it is the most pristine dog park in the whole of Sydney. He wakes up to gun-barrel views over beautiful Pittwater every morning!

The post Xinjiang Cumin Lamb Stir Fry appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Creamy baked fish on potato gratin

Nagi — Wed, 17 May 2023 04:37:35 +0000

This is a one-pan meal with fish baked in cream on top of a potato gratin with a golden crunchy topping. It’s a cross between a casserole, gratin and a pie. Fabulously cosy, rustic, oven baked fish recipe that’s effortless yet company worthy!

Creamy baked fish on potato gratin

This dish gives off very French-country vibes. Which, in hindsight, is rather unsurprising given it’s a recipe that our very own Chef JB just casually threw together one day. We ate it, loved it so much, declared it was “website-worthy” then proceeded to remake it…oh, I don’t know. Maybe 10, 12 times before we were fully happy with it and closed out all the “what ifs”?

Basically, it’s a creamy potato gratin, heavy on the leek (or onion), with fish that is baked on top at the same time, covered in a crunchy golden breadcrumb topping. So essentially, the breadcrumb topping acts as a lid, keeping everything steamy and succulent as the fish bubbles away in the creamy sauce while the gratin soaks up the tasty fish juices.

It’s just an all-out cosy dish of deliciousness!

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this:

Best fish

This recipe is best made with the more delicate white fish fillets that are around 2 cm (0.8″) thick. We don’t want fillets too thin else they will overcook. (UPDATE: Readers have made and loved it with salmon – read feedback in comments section!)

Our favourite fish to make this with is barramundi which is a popular Australian fish. Here are some more fish with similar cooking characteristics that will work great:

barramundi (pictured), John Dory, snapper, basa, jewfish, blue eye cod (trevalla), tilapia, cod, halibut, pollock, hake, and salmon (readers have tried and loved – see recipe comments!).

Remember, the shape of fish means that you get thick cuts from the main body as well as thin cuts from towards the tail. Opt for the thicker cuts, aiming for 2cm/0.8″ thick. Pictured above is barramundi which is a thicker fish so we used the tail.

Skin on or off? Either is fine, it really won’t affect the bake time. But the skin won’t be crispy. If this is a turn-off for you, just eat the flesh and leave the skin.

Fish to avoid

I recommend avoiding:

Fish that dry out easily when cooked – Like swordfish, tuna, bonito, kingfish, marlin, mackerel. Unless you’re extremely careful they can become dry inside so are very prone to overcooking in the oven. I feel these fish are (mostly) better in raw/rare form such as Ceviche, Poke Bowls, Tartare (also see Tuna Steak);
Oily, “fishy” fish – Like mullet and sardines (try this recipe for sardines!).

For the potato gratin and creamy sauce

And here’s what you need for the rest of the dish:

Potatoes – Floury (starchy) and all-rounder potatoes work best to achieve a lovely potato gratin flavour.
– Australia: the cheap dirt-brushed potatoes sold everywhere (called Sebago) are ideal
– US: Russet
– UK: Maris Piper
Leek – Flavour base for the gratin. Feel free to substitute with a standard onion!
Garlic – Flavour base.
Chardonnay or other dry white wine – This gives the sauce depth of flavour. Without, it tastes more one dimensional and like it’s missing “something”. Chardonnay is my favourite but any dry white wine that’s not too sweet or too woody will work fine. Non alcoholic substitute – More vegetable stock.
Vegetable stock/broth – For semi braising the potatoes in a flavoured broth, tastier than using just water!
Butter – For pan sautéing the potatoes before finishing them off in the oven.
Panko, parmesan and olive oil – The crunchy topping!

How to make Creamy Fish on Potato Gratin

This is a one pan meal that starts off on the stove and is finished in the oven. It would be handy if the whole dish could just be done in the oven, but we tried and the flavour was not as good. Whereas using the stove-to-oven method makes it company-worthy good!

Crunchy topping – Mix the panko and olive oil together, then stir through the parmesan.
Sauté the leeks and garlic, then cook the sliced potatoes for 6 minutes or until they are partially cooked. During this step, the potatoes absorb the flavour of the leek and garlic which is what makes the gratin so good!
Braise the potatoes firstly in wine for 1 minute (simmer rapidly to almost fully reduce to cook out the alcohol) then the vegetable stock for 1 1/2 minutes until reduced by half.
Top with fish pieces (which we first sprinkle with salt and pepper). Then pour over the cream, aiming for as much coverage as possible.
Topping – Sprinkle the entire surface with the crunchy topping.
Bake for 30 minutes – I PROMISE THE FISH DOES NOT OVERCOOK!! You would think it does, but it doesn’t. All that creamy goodness under the breadcrumb topping keeps everything moist and succulent!
Broil/grill 4 minutes – Then to finish it off, I like to give it a quick 4 minute blast under the oven grill/broiler to give the topping lovely colour.
Rest 5 minutes – Place on the counter and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Don’t skip this step! This is when the juices in the fish gets reabsorbed into the fibres so when you cut into the fish, it stays in the fish flesh (and ends up in your mouth) rather than running out onto the plate.

What to serve with Creamy Fish on Potato Gratin

All you need to finish off this meal is a fresh, crisp salad to serve on the side. Just toss leafy greens in French Dressing, or if you’re cooking for company, try the French Bistro Salad. On theme with the French-ish vibes going on in this dish!

I also wouldn’t say no to some crusty bread for mopping the plate clean. And for dessert – anyone for a pile of fresh baked Madeleines? Fast becoming a go-to for dinner parties because the batter is made in advance (you can even freeze it!) and stored in piping bags or jugs. Then it literally takes 2 minutes to pipe into the pan and 10 minutes to bake. How good is that!!! – Nagi x

Suggested sides

French bistro salad

No-knead crusty artisan bread for plate mopping

French dressing

Watch how to make it

Creamy fish on potato gratin

Recipe video above. This is a one-pan meal with fish baked on top of a potato gratin in a creamy sauce with a golden crunchy topping. It's a cross between a casserole, gratin and a pie. The idea is that the panko acts like a lid, keeping the fish succulent as it bubbles away in the cream while the gratin soaks up the tasty fish juices.

This is a fabulous cosy, rustic oven baked fish recipe that's effortless yet company worthy!

Course Mains

Cuisine French-style, Western

Keyword baked fish, fish and potatoes, fish casserole

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings

Calories 710cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

4 x 160g/5oz white fish fillets , ~2cm / 0.8" thick, skinless (barramundi, snapper, tilapia, cod, salmon – Note 1)
1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Potato gratin:

3 tbsp / 50g unsalted butter
2 large leeks , white and pale green part only, washed, cut in half lengthways, sliced 5mm / 0.2" thick OR 2 onions (Note 2)
3 garlic cloves , minced
2 medium starchy potatoes (250g / 8oz each), peeled (Note 3)
3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine , any type, sub more veg stock (Note 4)
1/2 cup vegetable stock/broth , low sodium
1 cup thickened/heavy cream

Crunchy topping:

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup parmesan , finely shredded

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) with a shelf in the middle.
Potatoes – Cut the potatoes into quarters, then sliced 4mm / 1/6" thick. Place cut potato in a large bowl of water (prevents from going brown, removes excess starch so it cooks quicker). Drain before use.
Crunchy topping: Mix panko and olive oil in a bowl. Then stir in parmesan.
Season fish: Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the fish fillets. Set aside.
Sauté – Melt butter in a large oven-proof skillet (30cm/12") over high heat until foamy. Add leek and garlic, then cook for 3 minutes.
Sauté potatoes – Add potato, salt and pepper. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring regularly. The potatoes should be half cooked at this stage.
Reduce wine and stock – Pour in white wine. Simmer rapidly until it is mostly evaporated – about 1 minute. Pour in stock, then simmer for 1 1/2 minutes or until reduced by half.
Top with fish – Turn the stove off. Place fish on top of the potatoes, presentation side up. (Note 1) Pour cream all over, aiming for full coverage. Sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs.
Bake for 30 minutes – I know this sounds like a long time but the fish stays succulent!
Colour topping – Switch to the oven grill (broiler) on high and move the skillet up to the top shelf. Grill/broil 4 minutes or until golden.
Rest – Remove and rest for 5 minutes, then serve! Eat the fish and gratin together with each mouthful for maximum eating pleasure!!

Notes

1. Fish – Best made with the more delicate white fish fillets that are around 2 cm (0.8″) thick. Not too thick (not enough flavour gets inside) and not too thin (overcooks). Our favourite fish is barramundi. Other suitable fish include: John Dory, snapper, basa, jewfish, blue eye cod (trevalla), tilapia, cod, halibut, pollock, hake. I wasn’t sure about salmon but readers were quick to try it and they loved it!

Other white fish fillets will work fine (like ling and monkfish) however, the flesh is a little firmer and meatier and for this dish, we really enjoyed it with slightly softer white fish fillets.

Remember, the shape of fish means that you get thick cuts from the main body as well as thin cuts from towards the tail. Opt for the thicker cuts!

Frozen fish works just fine, thaw then pat dry well before using.

Other proteins – Sorry to say I can’t think of alternatives for the recipe as written or with only minor tweaks. I think chicken would be bland. Shrimp/prawns might work but I’d have to reduce cook time.

Presentation side of the fish is the side that was cut off the bone which looks nicer when cooked ie the side the skin was on is NOT the presentation side.

2. Leeks washing – Chop the reedy dark green part off, only use the soft white & pale green part. Peel off and discard the first outer layer. Cut in halve lengthwise, wash. Shake excess water off well, then slice.

3. Potatoes – Floury (starchy) and all-rounder potatoes work best to achieve a lovely potato gratin texture.
– Australia: the cheap dirt-brushed potatoes sold everywhere (called Sebago) are ideal
– US: Russet
– UK: Maris Piper

4. Wine adds more flavour into this dish but doesn’t make it taste winey because we cook the alcohol out. Substitute with more vegetable stock.

Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge. Not suitable for freezing.

Nutrition per serving.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

The best handbag a girl can ask for!

The post Creamy baked fish on potato gratin appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Crunchy crumbed chicken drumsticks

Nagi — Wed, 10 May 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Oven baked crunchy crumbed chicken drumsticks. Great seasoning, great crispy exterior, juicy flesh. Tastes like KFC – minus all the calories and grease!

Crunchy crumbed chicken drumsticks

I have a soft spot for chicken legs. Juicier and more flavourful than lean chicken breast, and more economical at that. With the bonus that there’s something extra enjoyable about food that has to be eaten with your hands.

Nobody eats drumsticks with a fork and knife, do they?? Surely not! Way too civilised and way too much meat wastage. There’s no way you can pick the bone clean of every scrap of meat with cutlery!!!

Hands all the way. GRAB and DEVOUR!

Today’s drumsticks are fabulously crunchy all over, and very well seasoned so there’s no need to marinate it overnight. You can make it right now, for dinner tonight. And yours will be as gorgeously golden as you see in the photos as long as you’re generous with the oil spray. Spray, spray, spray!

Ingredients in crunchy crumbed chicken drumsticks

The seasoning

The key to this recipe is a bold flavoured seasoning so there’s plenty of flavour in every bite even though we haven’t marinated the chicken. Here’s what you need – all pantry staples!

The spiciness comes from the chilli / cayenne pepper and a good amount of black pepper. There are adjustments in the recipe to make this kid friendly by either completely eliminating the spiciness or reducing it.

The crumbing

And here’s what you need for the crumb coating.

Chicken drumsticks aka chicken legs. If yours were frozen, thaw thoroughly and pat dry extra well else you will end up with soggy patches.
Egg and flour – the glue for the breadcrumbs. (PS I thought 2 eggs was enough but actually, we need 3.)
Panko breadcrumbs – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives crumbed foods. You can buy it at most big supermarkets (AUS – Coles, Woolworths, Harris) in the Asian foods section and Asian stores (cheaper!). Substitute with regular breadcrumbs.

How to make crunchy crumbed drumsticks

I like to split the seasoning between the flour and the panko, for maximum flavour effect!

Seasoning – Mix the seasoning in a small bowl.
Season flour and breadcrumbs – Use 1 tablespoon of the seasoning for the flour, then mix the rest in with the panko.
Crumbing (without making a mess!)- Use one hand to coat a drumstick in the flour then shake off excess. Use the same hand to coat the drumstick in egg, then allow the excess to drip off. Still using the same hand, place the drumstick in the panko, then use your other hand to sprinkle with panko. Press to adhere, rotate and coat all over with panko. Place on rack. Marvel at clean(ish) hands!!
Repeat with remaining drumsticks, lining them up so they are evenly spaced.
Spray generously with canola or other oil. I like to use canola oil because it comes out like a foam so I can see where I’ve sprayed. (PS The more you spray, the more golden and crunchy the coating. So don’t hold back!)
Bake for 25 minutes at 200°C/400°F (180°C fan). Flip drumsticks, spray again, then bake for a further 20 minutes or until gorgeously golden and crunchy. Let them cool for 5 minutes – which also gives the crumb a chance to “set” – then dive in!

What to serve with crunchy drumsticks

Gosh, there’s really no rules here. I had them with leftover Supreme Soy Noodles and Smashed Cucumbers on the day I made the recipe video. Certainly not obviously choices but it was still enjoyable! 😂

To keep your life easy, try serving this with what I call two-in-one-side dishes. These are sides that combine plenty of vegetables with starch in one dish so you can just serve that as the side rather than making a side salad plus a starch to fill out a meal.

Some personal two-in-one favourites include:

Purple Rice – made with red cabbage in it (imagine how colourful your dinner plate will be!)
Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad
Marinated Vegetarian Pasta Salad!
Garlic Butter Rice with Kale – the best way I know to convert kale haters!!
Greek Chickpea Salad
Lentil and Roasted Eggplant Salad

Enjoy! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Crunchy crumbed chicken drumsticks

Recipe video above. Super crunchy baked drumsticks that are generously seasoned with an addictive zingy kick from black pepper and cayenne. It's not blow-your-head off but it has a very warm buzz!

Just omit the cayenne and reduce the pepper to make it kid friendly. It's so seasoned you don't need a sauce for dunking but if you want something quick but great, use my honey mustard or pink sauce – both recipes in the notes.

Course Mains

Cuisine Western

Keyword Baked Chicken Drumsticks, crunchy chicken legs recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings

Calories 211cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

8 chicken drumsticks
1/2 cup flour , plain/all purpose
3 large eggs , beaten
1 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 1)
Canola oil spray (or other oil)

Seasoning:

1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper or pure chilli powder – Note 2 (omit for kid-friendly)
1 1/2 tsp cooking salt
2 tsp black pepper (reduce to 1/2 tsp for kid-friendly)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan). Place a rack on a foil lined tray. Spray rack with oil.
Crumbing bowls – Place the flour, whisked eggs and panko in 3 separate medium bowls (bear in mind shape to fit the drumsticks!).
Mix Seasoning in a small bowl. Put 1 tablespoon into the flour and the rest in the panko, then mix.
Crumb – Pat drumsticks dry with paper towels. Coat in flour (shake off excess), then egg (let excess drip off). Place in panko and rotate, pressing to adhere all over, including the handle. (Note 3 for mess-free hands technique!)
Spray – Place drumstick on the rack. Repeat with remaining chicken. Spray very generously with oil.
Bake 25 minutes. Turn drumsticks, spray again with oil. Bake a further 20 minutes until golden brown and super crunchy!
Serve Eat and enjoy the CRUNCH!

Notes

1. Panko breadcrumb – A Japanese breadcrumb favoured for the extra-crispy coating it gives crumbed foods. You can buy it at most big supermarkets (AUS – Coles, Woolworths, Harris) in the Asian foods section and Asian stores (cheaper!). Substitute with regular breadcrumbs.

2. Chilli powder – Not to be confused with US chili powder which is a store bought mix that’s not spicy. I’m talking about the pure chilli powder, 100% spiciness!

3. Mess-free crumbing technique: Use one hand to coat in flour and the egg, then use that same hand to place the drumstick into the panko bowl. Use your clean hand to sprinkle panko onto the drumstick, pressing to adhere. Make sure you cover the handle too so you can grasp it to rotate the drumstick and keep your hand mostly clean. Repeat – and marvel at clean(ish) hands!

4. Quick sauce options:

Honey mustard sauce: Mix together 1/3 cup whole-egg mayonnaise, 2 tbsp dijon mustard, 2 tbsp honey, 1 – 2 tsp lemon juice (sub vinegar), salt and pepper.
Pink sauce – 1/2 cup (100g) sour cream + 3 tbsp ketchup
Ketchup, BBQ sauce or other store bought sauce of choice

5. Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge. A quick blast in the oven will resurrect the crunchy coating to some degree.

Nutrition per drumstick, factors in residual breadcrumbs and flour.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

Dozer on move day. He was delighted to have so many new targets for treats – and he was rather successful, actually!

The post Crunchy crumbed chicken drumsticks appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Mexican Chipotle Pork & Beans

Nagi — Mon, 08 May 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Mexican Chipotle Pork and Beans is a big pot of saucy, shreddable meat in a rich, spicy, chipotle sauce. Pork shoulder is slow cooked into fall-apart submission with meaty lima beans that absorbs the bold flavoured sauce. Stuff in tacos, serve over red rice, or eat like stew!

Mexican Chipotle Pork and Beans

This food is me on a plate.

Well, in a pot.

Hunks of juicy meat that’s so tender, it’s barely holding together when you scoop it out. A bold sauce that’s spicy, tangy and deeply savoury. Big creamy beans littered throughout that’s absorbed the flavour of the sauce, making beans tastier and dreamier than you ever imagined possible.

That it’s straightforward to make is a (big) bonus. It’s just like making a stew. In fact, that’s my favourite way to serve this – ladled into bowls like stew, except with tortillas on the side for dunking instead of serving it over the usual mash!

Ingredients in Mexican Chipotle Pork and Bean

Here’s what you need to make big pot of Mexican deliciousness!

Seasoned pork

This dish is made with pork shoulder which is an economical tough cut of meat that needs to be slow cooked to fall-apart tenderness. I just use cumin to flavour it before searing because the pork absorbs so much flavour while it’s slow cooking, it really doesn’t need much on the surface!

The chipotle sauce (and beans!)

And here’s what you need to make the rich chipotle sauce that the pork is braised in. Flavour to the max!!

Chipotle in adobo (photo below) – The hero ingredient, I adore this Mexican sauce! It’s made with chipotles which are rehydrated and canned in a tangy, spicy red sauce that packs a load of flavour. (Chipotles are smoked, dried jalapeños).
In this recipe, we’re using both the chipotles and sauce (some recipes only use one or the other) and pureeing the chipotles for maximum flavour release and to make a smooth sauce.
Where to find it – Those of you in the States are lucky enough to find chipotle in adobo virtually “everywhere”! In Australia – find it in the Mexican aisle of large grocery stores (Coles, Woolies), Harris Farms, as well as independent grocers. I use La Morena which I buy from Harris Farms – $3.29 for 200g/7 oz (we use the whole can).
Butter beans (aka lima beans) – The big, fat, meaty beans you always see at the store that you wonder what to do with. Well, now you know! 😂 Feel free to substitute with other beans, though I do think creamy beans work better than smaller, firm ones like black beans, chickpeas etc.
Why canned instead of dried beans? I find that the cook time for dried beans (especially large ones like butter beans) can vary quite drastically depending on the age, size and quality of the beans. Which means for dishes like this, sometimes the beans are done before the pork is, sometimes they are still hard when the pork is done. It’s not too bad pulling the pork out and leaving the beans to cook for longer. But it is a pain to take the beans out to continue cooking the pork! So, canned is my preference here.
Orange juice – Yes! A secret ingredient used in Mexican cooking to add sweetness and more flavour than just adding sugar into things (eg carnitas, fajitas). Doesn’t make it taste orangey because once it’s slow cooked, the flavour completely transforms.
Chicken stock – For the braising liquid. Low sodium please, otherwise your dish might end up too salty.
Tomato paste – For flavour and thickening. It’s sautéed to cook out the raw, sour flavour before mixing into the braising liquid.
Herbs and spices – Nothing unusual here! Oregano, coriander, allspice, bay leaves.
Onion and garlic – Flavour base.

Chipotle in adobo

How to make Chipotle pork and beans

This recipe starts off by searing the pork on the stove before transferring to the oven to braise until the pork is fall-apart tender, giving the sauce time to develop fabulous deep, savoury flavour.

Puree the chipotle in adobo using a stick blender. The chipotle is really soft so it literally takes seconds.
Season pork – Cut the pork into 6 equal pieces, for ease of handling to sear, more surface area for browning and so they cook faster than a whole pork shoulder. Then sprinkle with the cumin, salt and pepper.
Brown the pork in two batches, using a heavy based oven-proof pot. Rotate the pork to brown all over. Remember, colour = flavour! Once done, remove the pork onto a plate.
Sauté sauce flavour base – Using the same pot, sauté the garlic, onion, dried herbs and spices. Sautéing dried herbs and spices is a neat trick for getting extra flavour out of them – it makes them “bloom”.
Next, cook off the tomato paste followed by the pureed chipotle in adobo. Cooking off pastes is a great flavour trick as it intensifies flavour as well as taking off the raw, sour edge. It also depends the savoury flavour so you get more out of less!

Braising liquid – Add all the remaining ingredients except the beans into the sauce – the orange juice, stock, spices and bay leaves. The beans are added later else they will overcook and become too mushy.
Give it all a good mix then place the pork in, along with any juices pooled on the plate (never waste free flavour!). Arrange the pork as best you can so they are submerged under the liquid. But don’t worry if there’s some of the surface poking above because it will steam-cook and also the pork will shrink as it cooks so it will eventually sink below the surface.
Slow cook – Put the lid on and transfer to the oven to slow cook for 2 hours at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan). This temperature might sound high for slow cooking but it equates to a gentle simmer on the stove, which is suitable for slow cooking meats.
Other cook methods – 6 hours in a slow cooker on low or 2 hours on the stove.
Beans – Remove the pot from the oven. The pork should be pretty much fork tender by this stage. Add the beans and push them in as best you can under the liquid.
Bake uncovered – Return the pot to the oven to bake uncovered for 30 minutes to caramelise the surface which adds extra flavour. Also by this stage, the pork should be tender enough so you can pry it apart using two forks without any effort at all.
If you used your slow cooker or the stove, I do recommend doing this final step in the oven because the caramelising of the surface does add extra flavour!

And that’s it! To serve, just scoop up pieces of pork and beans, and ladle into bowls or onto a plate for serving. See below for ways to eat this pot of fall-apart-spicy-meaty-beany deliciousness!

You will love how the big creamy butter beans absorb the flavour of the sauce!

How to serve Chipotle Pork and Beans

As I mentioned at the beginning, my favourite way. to serve Chipotle Pork and Beans is in a bowl like stew. Just use a spoon or fork to cut off bits of pork (which takes barely a touch!) then get a big scoop with beans and plenty of sauce.

I like to add a bit of avocado and sprinkle of coriander/cilantro for freshness, and tortillas for dunking / bowl mopping is essential in my world.

Having said that, here are some other options – all dish worthy!

Mexican Red Rice is a terrific side option!

Mexican corn with chipotle mayonnaise – another great side option

Use this chipotle pork and beans to make wickedly good tacos!

Served over Mexican red rice – or put a big Mexican plate together with Mexican corn cobs (pictured above).
As a taco filling with your toppings of choice! It’s pictured above with avocado slices, finely chopped white onion, fresh coriander/cilantro leaves and lime wedges. There’s no need for a separate sauce – this is saucy enough as is!
Burritos to die for! Switch the chicken in this burrito recipe.
Shred up the pork and mix it up into the sauce with the beans. Then use it to make a giant nachos (switch out the chicken in this nachos recipe), as an enchilada filling, make tostada or simply scoop up with corn chips.
Turn it into a hearty soup – Add extra chicken stock/broth to thin the sauce and make it less intense, so it becomes suitable to be a soup broth. Then serve it as soup!

So many possibilities! What do you think? Which serving option appeals to you? – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Mexican Chipotle Pork and Beans

Recipe video above. This is a big pot of saucy, shreddable meat in a rich, spicy, chipotle sauce. Pork shoulder is slow cooked into fall-apart submission with meaty lima beans that absorbs the bold flavoured sauce.

Stuff in tacos, serve over red rice, eat like stew!

SPICE NOTE: This sauce is spicy. Not off-the-charts spicy, but it has a good kick! If you're concerned, remove half the chillis from the can of chipotle in adobo (as the chillies are where the spiciness is). If you're still worried, best to give this a miss because chipotle in adobo IS spicy!!

Course Mains

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword chipotle pork, mexican pork

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours 50 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes

Servings – 8 people

Calories 323cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Pork:

1.5kg / 3lb pork shoulder (skinless, boneless), cut into 6 equal pieces (Note 1)
1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cumin powder

Sauce:

200g / 7 oz chipotle in adobo – the chillis + sauce (Note 2)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion , finely chopped
4 garlic cloves , finely minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup orange juice (real, not reconstituted sweetened stuff – Note 3)
2 cups chicken stock/broth , low sodium
2 bay leaves (fresh, else dried)
1 tsp cooking/kosher salt
3 x 420g / 16 oz canned butter beans / lima beans , or other of choice (Note 4)

Dried herbs & spices

1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp allspice powder

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
Puree chipotle in adobo until smooth using a stick blender or similar.
Sprinkle pork all over with salt, pepper and cumin.
Brown pork – Heat all the oil in a large oven-proof pot over high heat. Brown the pork all over in 2 batches, the remove onto a plate (~ 1 minute each side).
Sauté – Cool the pot slightly then return to medium heat. If the pot looks dry, add 1 tbsp oil. Sauté onion, garlic, the herbs & spices for 3 minutes.
Cook off tomato & chipotle – Add tomato paste and cook it off for 2 minutes. Add chipotle puree and cook for 2 minutes.
Slow cook 2 hours – Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT beans. Stir, then bring to simmer. Place pork in – arrange so its submerged as best as possible. Cover with lid. Place in oven for 2 hours. (Note 6 other cook methods)
Add beans, cook 30 min – Remove lid, add beans. Return to oven for 30 minutes without lid to caramelise the surface. The pork will be fork-tender!
Serve like stew over Mexican red rice or with tortillas for dunking. Or make wickedly food tacos with finely chopped white onion, fresh coriander/cilantro, avocado slices and a squeeze of lime. More serving options above the recipe video.

Notes

1. Pork shoulder – Tough cut of meat made for slow cooking into fall apart submission. Chuck beef and boneless beef ribs will also work great!

2. Chipotle in adobo – smoked, dried jalapeños (chipotles) that are rehydrated and canned in a tangy, spicy red sauce that packs a load of flavour. In this recipe, we’re using both the chipotles and sauce (some recipes only use one or the other) and pureeing the chipotles for maximum flavour release.

3. Orange juice is used sparingly like stock in Mexican cooking. It doesn’t make it taste orangey, it adds a touch of sweetness and more flavour than just using sugar.

4. Beans – I realise butter beans are not authentic but I love how big and meaty they are, it just works with the succulent pork! Pinto or black beans would be a more strictly authentic choice for Mexican cooking, though honestly, any type of beans will work here!

5. Other cook methods: Slow cooker 6 hours on low or 2 hours on the stove on a low heat, stirring every now and then to ensure the base doesn’t catch.

However, the final 30 minutes in the oven is recommended no matter what slow cook method you use as it caramelises the surface (flavour boost!) and reduces the sauce.

6. Store in the fridge for 4 days, or freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition per serving assuming 8.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

The Coronation of Prince Edward Dozer Maehashi the first.

The post Mexican Chipotle Pork & Beans appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.