Lamb Kebabs on Pearl Barley Broth

This dish is inspired by a recipe found in May '08 Runners World (UK) magazine by Michel Roux Jr. A protein rich broth ideal for an after-race meal. Helps replenish depleted stores of carbohydrates and salts.

If you happen to be wondering why I'm so bothered about running all of a sudden its cos I'm down to run the Berlin Marathon. Follow my training at my Tumble log http://runberlin2008.tumblr.com.

Ingredients
For the kebabs
325g lamg leg steaks (diced)
Cumin powder
Salt
Chilli flakes (or chilli powder)

For the broth
Half a leek (sliced)
5 chestnut mushrooms (quartered)
60g pearl barley
chicken stock (300ml)
olive oil
garlic (clove, finely chopped)
white pepper

Step 1
Heat oil in a pan and cook the garlic, leek and mushrooms until softened. Then add the chicken stock and pearl barley. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until barley is tender. Season with white pepper.

Step 2
Heat the oven to 190°C. Thread the diced lamb onto skewers place on a baking tray and sprinkle with salt, chilli flakes and olive oil. Cover generously with cumin powder.

Step 3
Cook the kebabs in the oven for 10-15mins. Serve with broth.

Cumin Minced Lamb in Pitta

This dish takes about 10 minutes to cook after preparation and will serve four, although we gobbled this lot between us. It is one of Shanshan's favourite street foods in China.


Ingredients:
500g minced lamb
4 sticks of celery (sliced into 0.5cm slices)
4 pitta breads
pinch of szechuan pepper corn (use normal pepper corns if you don't have these)
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 tsp of cumin powder
1 tsp of hot chilli oil or hot chilli powder
salt (to taste)
1 tbps light soy sauce

1) Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan or wok. When hot fry all the minced lamb until browned. Then drain the excessive liquid and set aside (placing the lamb on kitchen paper on a plate will do the job)

2) Heat the other half of the olive oil in the same pan and add the sechuan pepper corns, fry for 10 seconds then add the celery and fry until softened. Then add the minced lamb you set aside earlier, mix well then add the cumin powder, soy sauce chilli oil (or powder) and salt and continue to mix. Add water if the dish is too dry.

3) Toast the pittas for a minute each, slice in half and open up. In the pocket of the pittas fill stuff with the dish. Serve.