Braised Lamb (100 Home-Style Dishes)

Other★★ Intermediate7min

Prep 5m ·
Cook 2m ·
4 Servings

Course

Protein

Method

Cuisine

Occasion

IngredientsWhat you'll need for Braised Lamb (100 Home-Style Dishes)

Ingredient Amount Notes
lamb leg meat 500g
purple onion 1
carrot 1
scallions (chopped) as needed
ginger slices 4
garlic 2
Sichuan peppercorns 10-15
dried hawthorn slices 3-4
light soy sauce 1.5
dark soy sauce 0.5
rock sugar 4
white pepper powder 5g
chicken bouillon powder 2g
salt 5g
five-spice powder 2g
bay leaves 2
cinnamon stick 1
yellow rice wine (Shaoxing wine) 2

Braised Lamb (100 Home-Style Dishes)

Ingredients

  • 500g lamb leg meat
  • 1 purple onion
  • 1 carrot
  • as needed scallions (chopped)
  • 4 ginger slices
  • 2 garlic
  • 10-15 Sichuan peppercorns
  • 3-4 dried hawthorn slices
  • 1.5 light soy sauce
  • 0.5 dark soy sauce
  • 4 rock sugar
  • 5g white pepper powder
  • 2g chicken bouillon powder
  • 5g salt
  • 2g five-spice powder
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 yellow rice wine (Shaoxing wine)

Instructions

  1. Wash the lamb leg meat and cut into small pieces. Peel the carrot and cut into irregular chunks. Slice the onion. Chop the scallions and set aside. Slice the garlic.
  2. Place the lamb in a pot with cold water, add ginger slices and 6-7 Sichuan peppercorns. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam. Continue boiling for 5 minutes, then remove the lamb and set aside.
  3. Heat oil in a wok, add the onion, scallions, and 6-7 Sichuan peppercorns. Stir-fry until fragrant.
  4. Add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and garlic slices. Continue stir-frying.
  5. Once the onion has softened slightly, add the lamb and stir-fry.
  6. Add 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce, 0.5 tbsp dark soy sauce, 4 pieces rock sugar, and 2 tbsp yellow rice wine. Stir-fry evenly.
  7. Pour in boiling water to cover the lamb. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add 5g white pepper powder. Simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour (or use a rice cooker's braising function for 1 hour). After 1 hour, add the carrot, 2g chicken bouillon powder, 2g five-spice powder, and 3-4 dried hawthorn slices (these help tenderize the lamb and reduce gaminess). Continue simmering over medium-low heat for another hour, adding 5g salt 20 minutes before finishing.
  8. Turn up the heat to reduce the sauce, leaving a little broth — it's delicious for dipping steamed buns!

Cooking StepsHow to cook Braised Lamb (100 Home-Style Dishes) step by step

  1. Step 1 Detail

    Wash the lamb leg meat and cut into small pieces. Peel the carrot and cut into irregular chunks. Slice the onion. Chop the scallions and set aside. Slice the garlic.

  2. Step 2 Detail

    Place the lamb in a pot with cold water, add ginger slices and 6-7 Sichuan peppercorns. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam. Continue boiling for 5 minutes, then remove the lamb and set aside.

  3. Step 3 Detail

    Heat oil in a wok, add the onion, scallions, and 6-7 Sichuan peppercorns. Stir-fry until fragrant.

  4. Step 4 Detail

    Add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and garlic slices. Continue stir-frying.

  5. Step 5 Detail

    Once the onion has softened slightly, add the lamb and stir-fry.

  6. Step 6 Detail

    Add 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce, 0.5 tbsp dark soy sauce, 4 pieces rock sugar, and 2 tbsp yellow rice wine. Stir-fry evenly.

  7. Step 7 Detail

    Pour in boiling water to cover the lamb. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add 5g white pepper powder. Simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour (or use a rice cooker’s braising function for 1 hour). After 1 hour, add the carrot, 2g chicken bouillon powder, 2g five-spice powder, and 3-4 dried hawthorn slices (these help tenderize the lamb and reduce gaminess). Continue simmering over medium-low heat for another hour, adding 5g salt 20 minutes before finishing.

  8. Step 8 Detail

    Turn up the heat to reduce the sauce, leaving a little broth — it’s delicious for dipping steamed buns!

Common Questions

What's the most common mistake to avoid?

The biggest mistake is not having all ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking (mise en place). Chinese cooking moves fast — once the wok is hot, there’s no time to chop.

How can I make this spicier?

Add chili oil or chili crisp to taste, or include dried red chilies during cooking. A dash of Sichuan peppercorn adds a different kind of heat.

Related Recipes