Spicy Cumin Lamb Burgers
Many people go to Xi’an Famous Foods in New York City for their spicy hand-pulled noodles, but the sleeper hit is the cumin lamb burger. This recipe, adapted from “Xi’an Famous Foods: The Cuisine of Western China, From New York’s Favorite Noodle Shop” by Jason Wang and David Shi (Abrams Books, 2020), starts with homemade buns that rise and crisp on a griddle, resulting in a soft interior similar to a pita. (You can make the bread from scratch, or substitute a burger bun or even an English muffin.) The restaurant’s signature spicy cumin lamb with red onions and green longhorn peppers is stuffed inside the bread, resembling a steak sandwich as opposed to a burger. You’ll want to slice the lamb as thinly as possible (a short stint in the freezer helps firm it up), which increases the surface area to great effect: The meat cooks through quickly, browns effectively and easily absorbs a tongue-tingling dose of cumin and chile.
Ingredients
- 2cups/250 grams all-purpose flour
- 1/4teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1/8teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1pound boneless lamb leg (ideally partially frozen)
- 2 1/2teaspoons cornstarch
- 4teaspoons plus 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1(2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
- 2garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- 2 1/2tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 3/4teaspoons salt
- Chile powder, to taste
- 1small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1longhorn pepper (or 1 jalapeño), thinly sliced diagonally
- 4homemade buns (or small burger buns or even English muffins, split and toasted)
Directions
If preparing the buns, to a large bowl add the flour, yeast, baking powder and sugar; whisk to combine. Drizzle in 1/2 cup/120 milliliters room-temperature water while mixing the flour with one hand until the texture is fluffy and sandy. Transfer to a flat surface and knead the mixture with both hands, pushing it away from you with the heel of each hand until it comes together into a smooth ball of dough, 3 to 5 minutes. (It will transform from raggedy to tacky to supple.) Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
While the dough rests, prepare the lamb: Carefully slice the lamb as thinly as possible, ideally about 1/8-inch thick. Add the lamb to a medium bowl, and sprinkle with cornstarch and 4 teaspoons of the oil. Mix with your hands until the cornstarch has been evenly dispersed and dissolved; set aside.
After the dough has rested for 20 minutes, remove the plastic wrap and knead the dough a few more times. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for another 10 minutes.
While the dough rests a second time, cook your filling: In a large skillet or wok, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over high until shimmering. Add the scallions, ginger and garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the lamb and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, until thoroughly browned in spots and cooked through. Turn the heat down to low and sprinkle with cumin, salt and chile powder; stir to combine. Stir in the onion and longhorn pepper; cover and set aside.
To shape the dough, take one piece and roll it between your palms into a ball. Place it on an unfloured work surface and press into a smooth, round mound. Use a small rolling pin to flatten to about 4-inches wide. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Set a small skillet over medium and warm it up for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to low, and add one dough round. Cover the skillet and cook for 1 minute on each side, until some brown spots appear. Flip and cook again for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until fully cooked (no parts should look gray or raw). It should be crisp on the outside and steaming on the inside. Repeat with remaining 3 dough rounds, letting the skillet heat up for a couple minutes between batches.
Slice toasted bread in half and fill with warm lamb mixture. Enjoy immediately.