Spicy air fryer lamb skewers
Salty, spicy, meaty and juicy – here’s the ultimate beer food. These are inspired by some of the delicious-est street food we’ve ever eaten; namely the lamb skewers you get in parts of northern and western China, where they’re cooked with plenty of cumin and chilli over smoky coals, then eaten with even more spice scattered over. Yum. The best ones we had were in Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter where honestly, you could smell them coming. The cumin there is so fresh and powerful, it really knocks your nasal passages around, but in a good way. Unfortunately we think the city has now banned cooking over coals in the old quarter and that’s probably a good thing for people’s respiratory health but damn. The flavour of grilling over actual coals is just so good we’re a bit sad to see it go. Anyway. We digress. In winter, we make our lamb skewers huddled around the air-fryer, and everyone’s fave appliance does a might fine job of cooking these just how we like them. So crack open the chilled Tsingtaos at yours, or whatever your fave brew is, and have some spicy lamb sticks! BTW, we used 16cm-long wooden skewers, but as air-fryers come in different sizes, choose ones that will fit in yours or cut them down to fit, if that’s simpler. You need to soak your skewers in water for at least 30 minutes so they dont burn.
MAKES 12
12 small bamboo skewers, soaked
500g piece lamb shoulder or leg, excess fat trimmed
1 onion, finely sliced
red chilli flakes, to serve
Cumin salt
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp chilli powder (optional)
Marinade
2 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
3 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp cumin salt
1 tbsp chilli flakes (optional)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the cumin salt, toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly coloured. Using a mortar and pestle, or an electric spice grinder, grind the seeds to a coarse texture. Combine in a small bowl with the salt and chilli powder, if you’re using it, and mix well.
Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl or zip-lock bag.
Cut the lamb into 1.5-2cm pieces, then add to the marinade with the sliced onion. Stir to coat, then refrigerate for about an hour.
When you’re ready to cook, thread 4-5 pieces of lamb onto each skewer, discarding the onion.
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C. Place the skewers in the basket and cook for 10-12 minutes or until well charred and cooked through, turning the lamb half-way through cooking and generously sprinkling with the extra cumin and chilli. Remove from the air-fryer and serve.
