Two Fiery, Zesty Ways to Enjoy Boiled Lamb Chops

The night market in Lanzhou has more lamb and mutton dishes than I ever could have imagined. As a Taiwanese American who grew up frequenting night markets in Taiwan, I thought I had seen it all. But this market—washed in purple-tinted fluorescent lights and populated by vendors roasting whole animals and grilling enormous flatbreads the size of frisbees—was special. 

I saw whole sheep on a spit, roasted and basted with spices. There were lamb skewers dusted with salt and cumin, braised sheep offal tossed with fistfuls of cilantro, and chunks of lamb leg in an earthy soup. Some vendors were even serving whole sheep heads—cracked open so diners could dig out the brain. This was considered a local delicacy. All the food looked super-sized.

Lanzhou is the capital of Gansu, a vast and arid north-central Chinese province with ample grasslands especially conducive to sheep rearing. The province also has a sizable Muslim population, which means a lot of the food is halal. Given those conditions, sheep are naturally favored as a protein. 

This boiled lamb dish with dipping chilies (shǒuzhuā yángròu, 手抓羊肉) stood out from all the dishes I sampled at the market. It consisted of lamb legs and chops gently cooked in a bath of aromatics until the meat loosened and softened and was served with a small plate of dipping chilies. While it didn’t look as impressive as the other dishes, it was punchy in a completely unexpected way. I reached for seconds, and long after returning home, I wished I could recreate it. 

This recipe is my version of that night market dish I enjoyed many years ago. Unfortunately, it’s not an exact match because so much of what made that dish special was that it used a whole sheep that was slaughtered and portioned out the same day it was cooked. I currently live in Taiwan, and, unfortunately, can only get frozen lamb racks imported from New Zealand. While it’s not exactly the same, it works whenever I want to return to that night in Lanzhou. For a bit of a saucier experience, I also developed a vinegar-infused chili oil full of sesame, spices and aromatics to go with it. It has a bold kick grounded with earthy cumin and a bit of tang from black vinegar.

How To Make Boiled Lamb Less Gamey

To be totally honest, I don’t always like the gamey flavors in some lamb and mutton dishes. If you, too, prefer a milder flavor, try parboiling your meat for about five minutes before moving on to the rest of your recipe. This technique—which is used commonly throughout East Asia for boiled or stewed meats—helps remove excess blood, which can contribute to the strong taste of lamb. Trimming off the fat can further reduce the gamey flavor.

It’s also really important to source a good-quality cut of lamb for this dish. A lamb is a young sheep, and, technically speaking, a lamb should be under 12 months old. Compared to mutton, it is sweeter and has a much more subtle flavor. In the United States, however, the “lamb” label does not mean much, because all sheep meat can be marketed as lamb there, regardless of the animal’s age. For a tender slab, consider purchasing imported lamb from New Zealand.

Adding Depth To Boiled Lamb

The key to this dish is simmering the lamb in a clear broth of classic aromatics—ginger, scallions, half an onion—and a healthy scoop of Sichuan pepper that imparts a refreshing zing. (Gansu is a major grower of da hong pao huajiao, including The Mala Market’s.) The aromatics help infuse flavor into the meat, which is key in a minimalistic dish like this, where the meat isn’t enrobed in a sauce. Celery adds a subtle vegetal element, and a sprinkle of goji berries at the end gives a pop of sweetness. I prefer cooking the meat on the stove over low heat for 1½ to 2 hours, though popping it into a pressure cooker or Instant Pot for 30 minutes after parboiling would do the trick. 

Two Ways to Eat: Dipping Chilies and Spiced Chili Oil

At the night market, I was given a bowl of dipping chilies for my lamb. Generally speaking, Lanzhou-style dipping chili is slightly more mild than its Sichuanese counterpart; it has a more pronounced savoriness and less heat. That said, this dish is also excellent served with chili oil (either homemade or store-bought) to be used as a dip or a drizzle. My chili oil recipe, below, includes chili flakes,  cumin, minced celery, fresh garlic and scallions and is mixed with vinegar and soy sauce. (Food safety note: Garlic in oil can lead to botulism if stored incorrectly, so it’s best to consume the dipping sauce the day you make it or omit the garlic if you want to store it.) Use the two accompaniments separately or combine them; there are no rules here.

The beauty of this dish is in its simplicity. Don’t overthink it. 

For more delicious ways to enjoy lamb, try Taylor’s Xinjiang Cumin Lamb (Ziran Yangrou, 孜然羊肉) or Toothpick Lamb From a Sichuan Master Chef (Yaqian Yangrou, 牙签羊肉).