Stir-Fry Cumin Lamb for Dinner

When most people think of cumin, the first thing that comes to mind is Indian food. While cumin is indeed a plant native to the eastern Mediterranean and India, its use as a spice spans the world from Mexico to Morocco to Mongolia. Perhaps its because it comes from a hardy plant that fares well in hot climates, or maybe its because the pungent spice did its job so well (spices were after all, a way of covering up less than fresh ingredients in antiquity).

Whatever the reasons for its widespread use, I go through cumin faster than I go through black pepper. For this dish I took some inspiration from the northwestern Chinese province of Xinjiang, where lamb trumps pork, tomatoes are a staple vegetable, and cumin is the dominant spice. Its a quick stir-fry made with lamb tenderloin, onions, tomatoes and yep, you guessed it: cumin.

As its name implies, tenderloin is an extremely tender cut of meat that comes from an underutilized muscle under the ribs and along the spine. Because it's very lean, tenderloin is best prepared quickly seared with a medium-rare center. In beef, its a great cut for steak, but with lamb, the tenderloin is a bit too small to turn into a steak.

That's why I like to use it in stir-fries. With a lot of heat and a short cooking time, it stays moist and juicy without getting tough and mealy. To ensure each morsel of lamb has plenty of flavor, I marinate it first with soy sauce, wine, and spices. By adding some potato starch to the marinade, it helps the meat hold onto its juices, and helps thicken the liquid released by the vegetables into a sauce.

Like any stir-fry, the steps can go very quickly and a few seconds can be the difference between smoky and burnt, so be sure to have all your ingredients prepped and measured so you can work the wok like youre on a cooking show.