Lamb: Winter Food in Certain Parts of China
Did you know that Chinese people actually have a tradition of eating lamb to ward off the damp chill of winter? It’s believed that consuming lamb in the late fall and winter improves blood circulation and warms the body. This is especially good for people who are always complaining about being cold. I know I probably sound like a crazy Chinese grandmother when I share these supposed health benefits with you all, but it can’t hurt, right?
I actually used to hate lamb, but now I absolutely love it. I think it had something to do with the fact that I never tried lamb growing up in Shanghai.
It was more common in Northern China. But today, migrant workers from all over China have transformed the food scene in the big cities from regional to national in scope.
BBQ lamb skewers or (yang rou chuan, 羊肉串) can be found on street corners in big cities across China, and roasted lamb dishes can be found on most restaurant menus. Check out some of our other lamb recipes like: Spicy Cumin Lamb Biang Biang Noodles, Xinjiang Lamb Rice, and Cumin Lamb – A Classic Xinjiang Recipe.
Lamb Breast is Best for This Chinese Casserole
For this Chinese braised lamb casserole recipe, you can use lamb, mutton or goat, but the best cut is the breast. It cooks down to tender perfection. To find lamb breast, look for a Halal meat market near you, and have them trim and cut the meat for you. If you can’t find lamb breast, you can try lamb shoulder, another cut that is often used in stews.
Let’s get started!
Chinese Lamb Casserole: Recipe Instructions
Start by gathering all your ingredients. (Continue scrolling for our recipe instructions with step-by-step photos. You’ll see the full list of ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
Boil enough water to blanch the lamb. Once the water is boiled, add the lamb and 4 slices of ginger. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat, and drain and rinse the lamb clean. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok set over medium heat. Add the remaining ginger, the white parts of the scallions, and the rock sugar.
Cook for a couple of minutes before adding in the fermented red bean curd and zhu hou (chee hou) sauce.
Stir and let everything cook for a couple minutes, using medium low heat.
Next, turn the heat back up, and add the lamb, stirring to coat the lamb evenly in the sauce.
Add in the star anise (if using), the Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, tangerine peel, dried Shiitake mushrooms, the mushroom water, and enough additional water to just cover all of the ingredients.
Cover and bring to a boil. Then immediately turn down the heat to simmer for 1 hour over medium/low heat. Stir the stew every 20 minutes to prevent sticking.
While the lamb is simmering, prepare the carrots, bamboo shoots, and bean threads/sticks. Also, wash the lettuce, shake off any excess water, and place in the bottom of a large serving bowl.
Once the lamb is tender (taste test time!), add in the carrots, bamboo shoots, and bean threads.
Here’s a photo of what a peeled fresh bamboo shoot should look like, for reference:
Cook for another 15-20 minutes over medium heat until the carrots are softened. If you still have too much liquid, cook the stew with the lid off for the last 10 minutes. Salt to taste, stir in the green parts of the scallions, and serve the Chinese braised lamb casserole on your prepared bed of lettuce.
The lettuce at the bottom of the will soften and cook from the heat of the lamb stew to delicious and well-balanced effect!
Serve your Chinese braised lamb immediately with plenty of white rice!
Recipe
Chinese Braised Lamb Casserole, Hong-Kong Style
Hong Kong Style Chinese Braised Lamb Casserole (or zhi zhu yangrou bao, 枝竹羊肉煲) is a popular Cantonese dish perfect for the last few winter months. The subtle flavor of the casserole really lets the individual ingredients shine through––a telltale sign of a good, traditional Cantonese dish.
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds lamb breast (cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 15 slices ginger
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 6 scallions (white and green parts separated)
- 10 grams rock sugar
- 3 pieces fermented red bean curd
- ¼ cup Zhu Hou or Chee Hou sauce
- 1-2 star anise (optional)
- 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 dried tangerine peel
- 6 dried Shiitake mushrooms (washed, soaked, and cut in half + the water from reconstituting the mushrooms)
- 4 small carrots (cut into chunks)
- 1 small bamboo shoot (peeled and cut into thin slices)
- 6 bean thread/sticks (soaked until softened and cut into large chunks, these can be prepared the night before)
- Salt (to taste)
- A small head of romaine lettuce or a quarter of a head of iceberg lettuce (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Boil enough water to blanch the lamb. Once the water is boiled, add the lamb and 4 slices of ginger. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat, and drain and rinse the lamb clean. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok set over medium heat. Add the remaining ginger, the white parts of the scallions, and the rock sugar. Cook for a couple of minutes before adding in the fermented red bean curd and zhu hou sauce. Stir and let everything cook for a couple minutes, using medium low heat.
- Next, turn the heat back up, and add the lamb, stirring to coat the lamb evenly in the sauce. Add in the star anise (if using), the Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, tangerine peel, Shiitake mushrooms, the mushroom water, and enough additional water to just cover all of the ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil. Then immediately turn down the heat to simmer for 1 hour over medium/low heat. Stir the stew every 20 minutes to prevent sticking.
- While the lamb is simmering, prepare the carrots, bamboo shoots, and bean threads. Also, wash the lettuce, shake off any excess water, and place in the bottom of a large serving bowl.
- Once the lamb is tender (taste test time!), add in the carrots, bamboo shoots, and bean threads. Cook for another 15-20 minutes over medium heat until the carrots are softened. If you still have too much liquid, cook the stew with the lid off for the last 10 minutes. Salt to taste, stir in the green parts of the scallions, and serve everything on your prepared bed of lettuce.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 358kcal (18%) Carbohydrates: 26g (9%) Protein: 35g (70%) Fat: 12g (18%) Saturated Fat: 3g (15%) Cholesterol: 92mg (31%) Sodium: 818mg (34%) Potassium: 620mg (18%) Fiber: 3g (12%) Sugar: 8g (9%) Vitamin A: 6720IU (134%) Vitamin C: 8.1mg (10%) Calcium: 82mg (8%) Iron: 4.3mg (24%)
