Chinese BBQ Lamb Skewers

羊肉串

Chinese BBQ Lamb Skewers — Northern Chinese Street FoodXinjiang home cooking.

Ingredients

• boneless lamb shoulder
• toasted cumin seeds
• light soy sauce
• Shaoxing wine
• neutral oil (e.g., grapeseed or canola)

Instructions

1. Cut lamb into 2.5 cm cubes. Place in a bowl and pat dry with paper towels — excess moisture prevents browning. (Meat cubes look matte, not glistening.)
2. In a small pan over medium heat, toast cumin seeds until fragrant and lightly golden — about 1.5 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and crush coarsely. (Seeds turn pale amber, some pop softly.)
3. Add light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and oil to the lamb. Mix in crushed cumin. Marinate 20 minutes at room temperature. (Meat glistens faintly, coated in thin glossy marinade.)
4. Thread 4–5 cubes per bamboo skewer (soak skewers in water 30 min first). Leave 3 mm space between pieces for even cooking. (Skewers hold meat snugly but not compressed.)
5. Heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat until smoking lightly. Grill skewers 2–3 minutes per side, turning once, until edges are deeply caramelized and center is just cooked through. (Edges show dark mahogany char, interior slightly springy.)