Stir Fry Lamb Strips with Carrot, Mushrooms and Broccoli

One thing we don't cook enough with is Lamb.  It's one of those meats here in Australia that you can get a cheap leg or shoulder of lamb but all the other cuts are really expensive. We love lamb, especially a roast, but it's not on the menu very often.  Which is s shame.

I'd recently asked our son what he fancied for dinner and he replied "a lamb stir fry would be really nice Mam - we haven't had one of those for a long time". I thought this was an interesting answer but to be honest it's nothing out of the ordinary for anyone in our family to request something outside the norm.

I came across a new butchers,  Australian Butchers Store, near work (I normally buy all our meat over in Clayton) and I must say I was a little excited about this.   In fact I was pretty impressed with the butchers.  Having only opened recently it was my first chance to go in there and have a look around.  Needless to say the ban on my buying any meat for our freezer went out the window as I came home armed with lots of bargains which included lamb strips.

Using my old friend Google I started looking for a stir fry recipe to cook using the lamb strips.  this was a harder challenge than I thought.  There are actually not that many Asian recipes using lamb.  I finally came across a recipe that sounded really nice.  I hadn't noticed what site it was on but I started reading the recipe and thought to myself this sounds pretty good.  I will cook this and then I read on further only to start laughing at the serving suggestion given.... and couldn't stop laughing. 

Serving Suggestions

Serve with rice or potatoes or fill a pitta bread or tortilla wrap with the stir-fry.

To my surprise the recipe was actually on the Irish Food Board which I guess explains the potatoes??  Please if you are Irish do not take offence to this post - I thought the comment was magic.  I actually cooked this recipes (although I did adapt slightly) but served ours with rice noodles.  It was absolutely delicious and enjoyed by everyone.

The meat and vegetables were tender and laced with the sweetness of the hoisin sauce and traces of the Chinese five spice.  It was a simple dish but bold at the same time.  I would defintely suggest you give this Asian number a go.

Stir Fry Lamb Strips with Carrot, Mushrooms and Broccoli

(Recipe adapted from Bord Bia)

Serves: 6

200 grams dry thick rice noodles

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon finely grated ginger

1/2 teaspoons Five Spice Powder

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons rice wine

freshly ground black pepper to taste

900 grams lean lamb strips

2 tablespoon oil

2 carrots thinly sliced

1 onion, sliced

200 grams button mushrooms, sliced

1 head of broccoli, cut into florets

4 tablespoons hoisin sauce

Cook rice noodles as per packet instructions.  Drain and set aside.

Combine the garlic, ginger, five spice, soy sauce, rice wine and pepper together in a medium bowl.  Add in the lamb strips and mix well to combine.  Allow to stand for at least 30 minutes or longer if time permits.  

Heat half the oil in a wok or frying pan. Then add in the vegetables and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the wok. Stir-fry the lamb in 2 batches.

Return the vegetables to the wok, add back in the cooked lamb and stir in the hoisin sauce. Mix well together.

Place noodles on a a large serving platter and top with lamb stir fry.  Serve immediately.

(Click here for a printable version of this recipe).