Xinjiang Lamb Kebabs for Australia Day

First of all I just wanted to say Happy New Year to everyone. I can’t believe we are now in 2012. Time sure does fly when you are having fun.

For my first post, I wanted to share a fantastic recipe, for Xinjiang Lamb Kebabs, which I will be making for an Australia Day picnic. These lamb kebabs are just one of the delicious dishes that Uighur cuisine has to offer. (The Uighur people are from Central Asia between Mongolia and Kazakhstan).

My friend Anna introduced me to these skewers years ago, in a Uighur restaurant near Sydney’s Chinatown. When she came back from Amsterdam for a visit last Christmas, she told me that she found a recipe for them. I was thrilled and couldn’t wait to make them myself.

Xinjiang Lamb Kebabs (recipe from Food Buzz)

Ingredients

1 kilo lamb leg (cut into 3cm cubes)

4 tablespoons peanut oil

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili flakes

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns

2 teaspoons ground ginger powder

4 garlic cloves (very finely chopped)

2 teaspoons sea salt

10 to 15 bamboo BBQ sticks that have been soaked in water

Method

1. In a large tray, mix the spices together and add the oil. Add the lamb pieces and stir to coat. Set aside in the fridge to marinade. I left mine for 24 hours but a minimum of 5 hours is ok.

2. Once the lamb is marinated, thread 4 to 5 pieces onto each BBQ stick. BBQ the lamb skewers until they are slightly pink in the middle. There is nothing worse that over cooked lamb leg. Don’t be tempted to overcook them.

3. Serve with a green salad and some Tzatziki.

These lamb skewers are delicious hot or cold. It’s simple to prepare and only takes minutes to cook. It’s the perfect dish to kick-start your Australia Day celebrations. Our Lambassador Sam Kekovich would be proud.  

Happy Australia Day to all my Aussie readers. I hope you all have a safe and fun filled day… If you haven't already seen it, make sure you watch Sama Kekovich in the hilarious video below.