ALLCAPS COOKBOOK PRESENTS: Xi'an-Inspired Cumin Chicken Thighs, Mushrooms, and Greens (Patreon)

Well, I wanted cumin lamb noodles from Xi'an Famous Foods in NYC but I DON'T LIVE IN NYC DO I and also on an island you kind of have what you can make after a certain hour.

And I did not have lamb.

Or noodles.

So I wondered what would happen if I just did the whole recipe but with what I did have--and the answer is awesomeness. I'm sure it's not remotely authentic but it was delicious and warm and cumin-y and I'm not at all sorry about it. NYC will be there when I get there which given my current parenting/work schedule will be who knows when.

But the random contents of my freezer are always right here, right now.

Ingredients

Marinade:

One pound chicken thighs, boneless/skinless

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine

2-3 tablespoons cornstarch

Everything else:

2 tablespoons cumin (preferably not more than 6 months old)

1 teaspoon sichuan red pepper flakes, korean red pepper flakes, or chipotle powder in a pinch

1-2 dried chili peppers (can omit if you don't do spicy)

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon salt

5 cloves diced garlic

1 thumb ginger

1/2 teaspoon sichuan peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 scallions, cut into whites and greens

1 small yellow onion cut into large chunks

6-7 shiitake mushrooms, sliced into strips

3-4 leaves of kale, stripped from stem and sliced in 1 inch strips

Handful of chipped cilantro or parsley if you didn't get the good cilantro gene

Fakeout Chinese Food Go!

Pat chicken dry and cut into julienne-style strips. Pour wet marinade ingredients over chicken with a little salt and pepper and set aside for 20 minutes or overnight in the fridge. Do your slicing and dicing while it marinates.

When you're ready, pat excess moisture off of the chicken and dredge in cornstarch til all surfaces are coated. Heat oil on medium-high in wok or large pan and drop chicken in carefully so they don't get jumbled up together, frying 1 minute or so on each side until they're crispy and golden. Remove from pan and set aside.

Quick fry mushrooms and onions for no more than two minutes, then add kale and the whites of the scallions, stir fry for a minute until greens begin to wilt. Add green scallions, garlic, salt and ginger, and stir fry 30 seconds, until the fragrance releases. Add lamb back in and all remaining seasonings, turning everything to coat on steady medium-high heat until everything is ARMORED IN CUMIN.

Cut the heat, add cilantro, serve over white rice. GET HAPPY.