Braised mutton with Sichuan pepper and ginger
A tender mutton stew, slow-cooked with ginger, Sichuan pepper, and fermented soybean sauce (jiàng), until the meat falls apart. The dish for great occasions, rich and warming.
A tender mutton stew, slow-cooked with ginger, Sichuan pepper, and fermented soybean sauce (jiàng), until the meat falls apart. The dish for great occasions, rich and warming.
The day I returned to the village, my parents had a fat beast slaughtered to celebrate. I shed my soldier's clothes, did my hair in the manner of girls, then came near the hearth to watch the pot. Let the mutton simmer long with ginger and huājiāo, until the flesh yields under the chopstick. Taste: this is the meal of reunion, the one where we give thanks that we are all together again.
- •Mutton (neck or shoulder) — a fine piece (meat)
- •Fresh ginger — one root (aromatic)
- •Sichuan pepper (huājiāo) — a spoonful (signature spice)
- •Jiàng (fermented soybean paste) — to taste (umami, salt)
- •Chinese scallion — a few stalks (aromatic)
Braised mutton with Sichuan pepper and ginger
A tender mutton stew, slow-cooked with ginger, Sichuan pepper, and fermented soybean sauce (jiàng), until the meat falls apart. The dish for great occasions, rich and warming.
Why this dish? When Mulan finally returns home, the ballad describes the family celebrating: they slaughter an animal, prepare a feast. This braised mutton, noble northern meat spiced with the signature pepper, is the dish of that reunion day when she becomes a daughter again before her family.
The day I returned to the village, my parents had a fat beast slaughtered to celebrate. I shed my soldier's clothes, did my hair in the manner of girls, then came near the hearth to watch the pot. Let the mutton simmer long with ginger and huājiāo, until the flesh yields under the chopstick. Taste: this is the meal of reunion, the one where we give thanks that we are all together again.
Ingredients (period version)
- Mutton (neck or shoulder) — a fine piece (meat)
- Fresh ginger — one root (aromatic)
- Sichuan pepper (huājiāo) — a spoonful (signature spice)
- Jiàng (fermented soybean paste) — to taste (umami, salt)
- Chinese scallion — a few stalks (aromatic)
Ingredients
- Boneless lamb shoulder — 800 g, cut into large cubes (meat)
- Fresh ginger — 30 g, sliced (aromatic)
- Sichuan pepper — 1 tbsp (signature spice)
- Fermented soybean paste (doujiang) or soy sauce — 2 tbsp (savory umami)
- Scallions — 3, cut into sections (aromatic)
- Water — to cover (braising)
Method
- Brown the lamb cubes in a hot pot, without added fat at first.
- Add ginger, scallions, and Sichuan pepper, sauté for 1 minute.
- Stir in the soybean paste, cover with water.
- Bring to a simmer, skim, then braise covered for 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Uncover at the end to reduce the sauce; serve hot over millet.
How it was made : Fermented soybean sauces (jiàng) were the fundamental umami seasoning of ancient China, where the West used garum. Slow braising of meat with Sichuan pepper appears among the preparations in the *Qimin Yaoshu*. The homecoming feast is explicitly mentioned in the Ballad of Mulan.
The contemporary twist : Served over a spoonful of creamy millet with some glossy sauce and fresh scallion, this mutton becomes a comforting festive dish, halfway between a tagine and an Asian stew.
Sources : Jia Sixie, Qimin Yaoshu, c. 544 · Ballad of Mulan (Mulan Ci)
Mulan · Charactorium