Grilled Cumin and Sichuan Peppercorn Lamb Loin Chops

Today was another grill day, it is still kinda hot here, so the prospect of grilling was quite attractive. I try to do something a bit different during every grill session. Today, I had some Lamb Loin Chops. I really didn't have anything in mind when I purchased the chops. Returning home, I still had no idea of what to make. I was replying to some comments on my Shao Kao 818 postwhen it came to me. We were very disappointed with the Yang Rou Chuan, and I wondered, how hard is it to get the wonderful salty-cumin flavor of good Yang Rou Chuan...... Rummaging through my pantry, I managed to put together the ingredients for this dish.

 

The Sichuan Peppercorn heightened the saltiness of the dish, and really didn't hit you right away. You felt a numbing "buzz" a few seconds after eating the chops, it was quite interesting. Much like my Cumin Lamb recipe, I do a short marinade before grilling. Make sure to toast those cumin seeds until the wonderful smell of "BO" floats around your kitchen.

Grilled Cumin and Sichuan Peppercorn Lamb Loin Chops:

Spice Mix:
4 Tb toasted Cumin Seeds
2 Tb roasted and ground Sichuan Peppercorn
2 Tb sea salt
1 Tb ground coriander
Ground red chili to taste

Marinade:
1/4 cup Premium Light Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Canola Oil
2-3 Tb Shaoxing Wine
2 Tb Dark Soy sauce
4 cloves Garlic finely minced

- Mix marinade and pour or brush marinade over lamb chops. Make sure to coat lamb chops well.
- Let lamb chops marinate for 20-30 minutes
- Sprinkle on a generous amount of the spice mix, making sure to getting some on the sides of the chop.
- Let chops sit for at least 10 minutes before grilling.

- Grill to desired doneness. As a whole, most Chinese are used to eating their lamb well done. Make sure to turn the chops and grill on the edges and sides as well.
 

I've been grilling a lot of Shishamo (sm elt) for the Missus. Recently, the Missus found that She really enjoys grilled Urume Maruboshi (dried round herring):

  

For some reason, the grilled fish always catches my attention. I wasn't quite sure why....until today. Doesn't this look really familiar?

 

 

What do you think?

 

(BTW, The Scream by Edvard Munch is in the public domain in the United States because it was first published more than 95 years ago.)

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Comments

[Dennis]

The resemblance is uncanny.. I never thought of grilling dried shishamo but it looks great!

[nhbilly]

Stop playing with the food ;-)

[Kirk]

Hi Dennis - Can you hear them screaming????

Hi Billy - LOL!

[kat]

everything looks great! it has been very humid here in hawaii, I think I look like that last photo!

[Judy Lee]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA... the shishamo and Scream hilarious!!!

the lamb looks outrageously yum!

[Eat. Travel. Eat!]

The combination of cumin and the lamb chops sounds great, and your photos of it look fantastic!

And the Shishamo looks just like the girl in the picture. Scary!

[Stephen]

Beautiful chops. Where did you get them.
I found a quote from Munch's diary about the painting. I was walking along a path with two friends—the sun was setting—suddenly the sky turned blood red—I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned on the fence—there was blood and tongues of fire above the blue-black fjord and the city—my friends walked on, and I stood there trembling with anxiety—and I sensed an infinite scream passing through nature.

[Kirk]

Hi Kat - I hope it's not that hot and humid!!!

Hi Judy - This came out much better than I thought it would.

Hi ETE - Thanks, sometimes the photos just come out, ya know??!!

Hi Stephen - If I remember correctly, Munch suffered from severe bouts if anger, anxiety, and erratic behavior, which of course could not help but manifest itself in his work. I personally, am fond of Joan Miro..... The lamb chops was one of those crazy impulse buys from Costco.

[foodhoe]

the visuals of the open mouthed fish are pretty stunning! that lamb recipe sounds aromatic and delicious...

[Kirk]

Hi FH - Can you hear them screaming??? ;o)

[Lynnea]

those lamb chops look so nicely grilled, delicious. Thanks for the recipe.

[Janfrederick]

Oh please don't compare cumin to BO anymore. I really love the stuff, but now I'm starting to notice! ;)

[Kirk]

Hi Lynnea - Thanks, these were easy to make.

LOL Jan! OK, I'll "TRY" not mention the, ahem, similarities in fragrance in the future....It'll be hard though!

[Jeff C]

Grilled lamb chops with cumin look great. I'll have to try this recipe. I just spent the past few days making concentrated kombu and sardine mushroom stock from a recipe from Seductions of Rice -Duguin & Alford. Then making Kombu Relish via Washoku Elizabeth Andoh.
I grilled the left over sardines but I refried them again in Hua Jiao oil and extra mirin. I know its a departure from the Japanese style but I wanted to add a little Sichuan to it.

[Kirk]

Hi Jeffrey - Sounds great! The chops were pretty tender, and of course you know how much I love Sichuan peppercorn and cumin!

[Marina]

I made a version of this last night for my brother in law who has been trying to find the lamb he had in China years and years ago. This totally nailed it. I used a leg of lamb cut into strips that we skewered and grilled. I used mirin instead of Shaoxing because that's what I had, and I marinated the lamb for 2 hours instead of 20 minutes. It was just incredible.

[Kirk]

Hi Marina - I'm glad the recipe worked out well for you! Thanks for letting me know!