Inspired by Chinese kitchens, again: Lamb Chops with Cumin

Whole cumin seeds, jalapeño peppers, red bell pepper, onion and garlic create weeknight-quick lamb chops inspired by a classic Chinese dish. Recipe below.

[su_dropcap style=”flat”]L[/su_dropcap]ast month, Marion wrote about a dish we always seek out on Chinese menus, Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce (or any Chinese dish using eggplant, really). Another dish we love is Lamb with Cumin. There are many regional takes on this dish too. Inspired by our favorite version, thin slices of lamb with big flavors and plenty of heat, I’ve streamlined it into a weeknight-quick dish with whole chops and a shorter ingredient list.

The resulting chops aren’t a dead ringer for the classic Chinese dish, but they are wonderfully evocative of said dish and flavorful in their own right. Whole cumin seeds, garlic, jalapeño pepper rings, and chunks of red bell pepper and onion see to that. I skipped the Chinese dried red chili peppers that heat up the restaurant version (which, trust me, do not eat the actual peppers), substituting crushed red pepper flakes for a much less intense kick.

For the chops, I chose bone-in lamb shoulder chops. They are a cheap cut, delicious and chewy. You can tame that chewiness with dry brining for about 15 minutes—I highly recommend it.

Lamb Chops with Cumin
Serves 2

2 bone-in lamb shoulder chops, about 8 ounces each
coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds, divided
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into big chunks
1 medium yellow onion, thickly sliced
1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, sliced into rings (don’t discard seeds)
1 or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt

Dry brine the chops. Place lamb chops on plate and salt generously with coarse kosher salt on both sides, as much as a teaspoon per side. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse chops under cold running water and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. DO NOT ADD ANY MORE SALT.

Now you’re ready to start cooking. Season the chops—sprinkle some of the cumin seeds on chops and season generously with black pepper, pressing the spices into the chops. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over fairly high heat. Let the pan get good and hot. Add chops and sear on one side for about 4 minutes. Turn chops and reduce heat to medium high. Cook for about 3 minutes longer, transfer chops to a plate and tent with foil.

If your chops gave off a lot of fat, drain all but 1 tablespoon (miraculously, mine didn’t—I actually drizzled in a little more oil to have enough fat for stir-frying the vegetables). Add remaining cumin seed, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño rings, garlic and crushed red pepper to pan and toss to coat with oil. Season vegetable mixture with salt—you’ll smell the flavors blossom—and cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 or 5 minutes.

Return chops to pan along with any accumulated juices, nestling chops among vegetables, and continue to cook until vegetables are crisp tender, about 2 minutes.

Plate chops and spoon vegetables over. Serve.