Spiced Lamb and Rice Cake Skewers
I love serving skewers to eat. There’s something addictive about threading simpatico ingredients onto long wooden skewers to cook and then eat, pulling off the ingredients one by one. It's a convivial and fun way to eat, together as a gang, if you ask me. I’m using diced lamb here in this series of 7 different lamb recipes, this time marinating the lamb in the spicy Korean red pepper paste called gochujang. Most Asian stores will stock this ingredient, likewise the rice cakes. This is a quick and easy marinade to pull together, all flavours that work brilliantly with the lamb. I’m also using some sticky rice cakes (tteok) to cook with the lamb on the skewers, it’s a great combination. Simply follow the instructions on the packet on how best to cook these before adding to the recipe to make this terrific dish. Serve with soft lettuce leaves and some kimchi if you like, using the lettuce leaf as a wrap, each with a piece of lamb, a rice cake and some kimchi on top to eat.
INGREDIENTS
600g lamb leg, cut into 3cm cubes, or use another tender lamb cut
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch spring onions, whites cut into 3cm lengths, greens thinly sliced
200g tteok (Korean rice cakes), using the tube shaped ones
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Wooden or metal skewers
For the marinade;
3 tbsp gochujang
3 cloves garlic, finely grated or very finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp rice vinegar, or use cider vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil, plus extra to toss
To serve;
About 12 lettuce leaves
A small bowl of Kimchi
½ cucumber, thinly sliced
METHOD
In a large bowl, mix all marinade ingredients until well combined. Put 1/3 to one side in a small bowl to serve with the skewers.
Add the lamb to the remaining marinade and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, although overnight works well.
If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning.
Boil the rice cakes according to package instructions. Drain, rinse and toss with sesame oil.
Thread the marinated lamb onto skewers (reserving any remaining marinade) alternating with pieces of spring onion whites and rice cake. You want the lamb cubes to be thicker than the rice cakes to help prevent them sticking.
Preheat a barbecue, grill, or non stick pan to high heat.
Cook the skewers for 3-5 minutes on each side, basting with reserved marinade and turning to ensure even cooking. The lamb should be nicely charred on the outside and still slightly pink inside.
Serve sprinkled with the sesame seeds and the chopped spring onion greens, with the lettuce, kimchi, reserved sauce and cucumber on the side to roll up in.