Make our Mongolian-style rack of lamb at home

Posted on April 1, 2016

Mongolia is a land-locked, mountainous country bordered by China to the south and Russia to the north. Its cuisine, which takes some influences from China, is dictated by the extreme continental climate, where winters can be as cold as -40 – vegetables are scarce, so dishes tend to be feature solely meat or dairy, with little accompaniment.

This Mongolian-style rack of lamb is one of our most popular dishes, enhancing traditional preparation with a more spice- and vegetable-rich marinade and sauce than Mongolia’s climate would allow.

Serves 5-6

Ingredients
1 kg Lamb rack
2 tbsp cumin seeds

Marinade
1 bunch of lemongrass
100g ginger
50g spring onion
5g fennel seeds
½ apple
1 sage leaf
10g fresh chilli
1 tbsp of salt & pepper
200ml water

Dipping sauce
100g chopped garlic
50g chopped ginger
200g chopped onion
15g bird’s eye chilli
25g fresh chilli
50g sugar
Pinch of salt
300ml water
100g peanut butter
½ can of coconut milk
Cooking method:

1. Place all the marinade ingredients in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes until reduced by one-third. Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature.
2. Pour this mixture over the lamb, cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge overnight.
3. Remove the lamb from the marinade and roast in the oven for 15 minutes at 200 degrees celsius. Meanwhile, prepare the dipping sauce (see below).
4. Remove the lamb from the oven, cover in foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the cumin seeds over the lamb before serving.
To make the dipping sauce:

1. Place the chopped garlic, ginger, onion, bird’s eye chilli, fresh chilli, sugar and water in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve and return to the saucepan on a low heat.
3. Add the peanut butter and coconut milk and stir until thickened.
4. Serve on the side with the lamb.