Dai Temple Red-Braised Lamb

Dai Temple Red-Braised Lamb

　　Red-braised lamb is a local delicacy of Dai Temple Township. Located in the Dongping Lake reservoir area, this region has moist soil, lush vegetation, and especially large areas of soybean fields, providing abundant straw feed. As a result, every household raises sheep and practices free-range grazing. It is a production and distribution base for Small-Tailed Han Sheep in our province. The large population and high numbers of Small-Tailed Han Sheep provide ample cooking ingredients for making red-braised lamb.

　　The red-braised lamb from Dai Temple is tender, flavorful, rich in aroma, with a thick broth, and is not greasy when eaten.

　　Sheep are one of the earliest domesticated livestock by humans and an important food source. Yi Yin, a minister in the early Shang Dynasty known for his culinary skills, was later revered as the “Sage of Cooking” and documented the consumption of lamb. In Han Dynasty tomb murals unearthed in China, such as the “Kitchen Scene” and “Feasting and Acrobatics,” banquet scenes including roasted lamb are depicted. The “Luoyang Monastery Record” from the Northern Wei Dynasty during the Northern and Southern Dynasties states, “Sheep are the finest of land produce, and fish are the kings of aquatic life. Preferences may differ, but both are considered treasures.” This shows that lamb has been a beloved food for a long time.

　　The basic method for making Dai Temple red-braised lamb is:

　　Use tender lamb from the same year, skin it, and prepare the meat, then season it with scallions, ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorn, fennel, meat bouillon, tsao-ko, white cardamom, and amomum villosum. Cut the lamb into chunks. Place a pot over high heat, bring water to a boil, first blanch the lamb in boiling water, skim off the foam, and remove the lamb. Then, stir-fry the lamb in hot oil, add scallions, ginger, garlic, and salt, pour in pre-prepared milky-white lamb bone broth, enough to cover the lamb, top with broad bean paste, and simmer over low heat for about 40–50 minutes before serving.

　　In addition, the Hui restaurants in Dai Temple Township also prepare dishes using sheep heads, sheep ears, and sheep trotters, which can be used to create a whole lamb feast.