Xinjiang Naan with Spiced Lamb

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup warm water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
• ½ pound ground lamb
• 1 whole onion, medium
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Pour 2 cups flour into a large mixing bowl, then add 0.5 teaspoon salt and stir with a wooden spoon until combined, about 10 seconds.

2. 2

   Pour 0.75 cup warm water into the flour mixture and stir with the wooden spoon until a shaggy, rough dough forms with no dry flour visible, about 1 minute.

3. 3

   Sprinkle 1 tablespoon oil onto your work surface, then turn the dough out onto the oiled surface and knead by pushing the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, folding it back over itself, and repeating for 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

4. 4

   Shape the dough into a ball, place it in the bowl, and drizzle the top with 1 tablespoon oil, turning the ball to coat all sides, then cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let it rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.

5. 5

   Cut the onion in half from root to tip, then place each half flat-side down on a cutting board and slice crosswise into thin strips about 1/8-inch thick, cutting through both the layers and the root end, then separate the rings.

6. 6

   Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice, about the size of pencil-tip dots, and set aside.

7. 7

   Heat a 12-inch skillet or wok over medium-high heat, and when the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates in 2 seconds, add 0.5 pound ground lamb and break it apart with a wooden spoon, stirring constantly until the meat is browned with no pink remaining, about 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Pour off any excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan, then add 1 tablespoon cumin seeds and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the kitchen smells strongly of toasted cumin.

9. 9

   Add the minced garlic and 0.5 teaspoon crushed Sichuan peppercorns, stir for 15 seconds until fragrant, then add the sliced onion and 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce and stir every 30 seconds for 3 minutes, until the onions are softened and golden at the edges.

10. 10

    Remove the skillet from heat, stir in 0.25 cup cilantro, and taste; add salt and pepper as needed, then transfer the lamb mixture to a small bowl.

11. 11

    After the dough has rested 20 minutes, divide it in half, shape each piece into a ball by pulling the edges to the bottom and rolling it on the work surface, then press each ball into a disk about 1/4-inch thick.

12. 12

    Heat the same 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, and when the pan is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles in 2 seconds, add the first dough disk and cook without moving it until the underside is golden brown with darker spots, about 3 minutes.

13. 13

    Flip the naan carefully with a large spatula and cook the second side for 2 minutes until it is light brown and cooked through, then transfer it to a plate.

14. 14

    Repeat steps 12–13 with the second dough disk, using the remaining 1 tablespoon oil if needed to prevent sticking.

15. 15

    Spoon half of the lamb mixture onto each warm naan, dividing it evenly across the surface, and serve immediately.

Tools you’ll need

• large mixing bowl
• wooden spoon
• 12-inch skillet or wok
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• damp cloth or kitchen towel
• large spatula
• small serving bowl

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