On the heat. Hot

Ingredients

• 600 g lamb stir-fry strips
• — VELVETING MARINADE
• 1 tbsp soy · 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp cornflour · 1 tsp sesame oil
• — THE WOK
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 tbsp cumin seed, lightly crushed
• 1 tbsp chilli flakes · 6 dried chillies
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn, crushed
• 6 cloves garlic, sliced · 1 onion, in petals
• Spring onion, coriander, sesame seed

Method

1. Marinate the strips for 30 minutes. The cornflour is velveting — it forms a skin that keeps the lamb juicy at wok temperature.
2. Get the wok smoking hot before anything goes in. This dish fails at low heat and cannot be rescued.
3. Oil in, lamb in, spread in one layer. Do not move it for 45 seconds. Then toss hard for 60 seconds. Out.
4. Fresh oil, cumin, chilli flakes, dried chillies and Sichuan pepper in for 20 seconds only.
5. Garlic and onion in, 45 seconds. Lamb back in, tossed 30 seconds.
6. Spring onion, coriander, sesame. Off the heat and onto the plate immediately. Total cooking time under four minutes.

Cook's note. Everything ready before you light the wok. There is no time to chop anything once this starts, and a 20-second spice window is exactly that.

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