Spiced Lamb Skewers (Yang Rou Chuan)

• 300g lamb shoulder cut into chunks

• 300g button mushrooms

• 1 aubergine

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• Bamboo skewers soaked in water

SPICE MIX

• 1 tbsp fennel seeds

• 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

• 1 tbsp coriander seeds

• white pepper

• 1 tbsp of salt

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

THE MARINADE

• 2 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce

• 1 ½ tbsp spice mix

• ½ tsp cornflour

• A pinch of salt

• A pinch of sugar

• Cut the aubergine into cubes, make your aubergine and mushroom skewers and set aside.

• Heat a frying pan to medium. Toast the peppercorns, coriander and fennel seeds for 2 -3 minutes until fragrant. Transfer the whole spices to a mortar, add the rest of the spices and pound until you get a fine spice mix. Alternatively you can use a spice grinder. Transfer the spice mix onto a shaker and set aside.

• Marinade the pieces of lamb with all the marinade ingredients, making sure all lamb is well coated. Refrigerate for at least an hour, ideally overnight.

• Make the lamb skewers, alternating lean pieces of meat with the fatty ones. Set aside until you are ready to cook.

• Brush a griddle pan with vegetable oil and heat it to high. Once smoking hot place the lamb skewers, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, making sure you dust more of your spice mix half way through cooking. Set aside and start cooking your vegetable skewers, season well and grill for approximately 10 minutes until they are cooked all the way through.

• Enjoy your skewers with a nice cold drink.