Stewed Lamb

Stewed Lamb

　　Cuisine: Stewed Lamb — A True Highland Delicacy Stewed Lamb is truly a unique dish of the highlands, available only during the spring and autumn lambing seasons.

　　A dish made from the meat of lambs about half a month old. This is a traditional and valuable dish from the semi-agricultural, semi-pastoral regions of counties like Guide, Guinan, and Huangyuan. The skin is removed from the lamb, the internal organs are cleared, and the meat is washed and cut into 1 to 2-inch cubes. The pan is heated with green oil until it smokes, then the meat cubes are added and stir-fried. Once the skin turns golden brown, flour paste, chili, ginger powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, salt, and other seasonings are added. While the oil is still hot, everything is stirred repeatedly. When the meat turns red and the seasonings have been absorbed, a small amount of cold water is added, the pot is sealed tightly, and the mixture is slow-cooked over low heat. When the water is nearly gone and the meat is fully cooked, it is ready to be served.

　　　A true highland delicacy. Lamb is generally available only seasonally, specifically during the spring and autumn lambing periods. Cooking method: Lambs around 15 days old are slaughtered, skinned, cleaned, and cut into 3–6 cm cubes. They are stir-fried in oil until the skin and meat turn light yellow. Then flour paste, chili powder, ginger powder, pepper powder, and salt are added, and the mixture is stir-fried repeatedly until the meat turns red. An appropriate amount of cold water is added, the pot is sealed, and it is slow-cooked until the water evaporates and the meat becomes tender. The resulting meat is tender, spicy, flavorful, dark red in color, fragrant, soft, and delicious.

　　　　In Tianzhu Tibetan Autonomous County, eating lamb is a traditional and prized delicacy from the semi-agricultural, semi-pastoral regions. The season for eating lamb is highly seasonal, mostly during the spring and autumn lambing times. Around fifteen days after Tibetan sheep give birth, lambs are slaughtered primarily to harvest their short, curly wool for making fur. The processed pelts are turned into authentic, high-quality Qinghai lamb fur, an excellent material for winter clothing. Therefore, the lambs that are slaughtered usually weigh less than ten pounds even after the internal organs are removed. The meat is cleaned and cut into 1–2 inch cubes. When the oil in the pot is boiling and smoking, the meat cubes are added and quickly stir-fried. Once the skin turns light yellow, flour paste, chili powder, ginger powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and salt are added and stirred repeatedly until the meat turns red and the seasonings have penetrated. Then a small amount of cold water is added, the pot is sealed, and it is simmered over gentle heat until the water has evaporated and the meat is tender, at which point it is served to guests.

　　　　Stewed Lamb — When eaten, the meat is tender, spicy and delicious, dark red in color, fragrant, soft to the bite, not greasy, and rich in nutrients, offering nourishing and strengthening benefits.