Yang Rou Chuan (Lamb Kebabs)

[radshop]

It was Attjack who inspired this with his yakitori skewers, but I took it a different direction. A few decades ago, I lived in western China for a while on the old Silk Road where the local version of lamb kebabs is known as Yang Rou Chuan. I did it as authentic as I could with 1 exception - I didn't use bicycle spokes as skewers. But I did season with salt, fennel, cumin, garlic, and chili pepper and cook it over charcoal just like the locals. (Hey Spinaker - if you look careful you can make out that SMG with lump).

Yang Rou Chuan is eaten with a Na'an-style flatbread. But I've been experimenting with gluten free options (for the benefit of my son). So... I took a total leap from China to Italy and made a chickpea-flour flatbread called socca in the Lodge carbon steel skillet on the Genesis. (No, I've never been to Italy, but I have YouTube.)

And just in case that wasn't confusing enough, I jumped to Colorado and paired it with the Banquet Beer.

(Do I get a HouseHomey seal of approval on this? I covered 3 continents. That oughta be worth something.)

[HouseHomey]

Way to represent brother! I make the same boring stuff cuz I like it.

This sir is OUTSATNDING!!

Ive put chickpea in a vitamix to use as a thickener but I bet this bread regardless of texture was super flavorful!

Countries, chickpea and lamb lamb. The Hat trick!!

Western china, Silk Road, Irvine..... I don't wanna know. I'm off the 405 and Brookhurst south. Summer is coming. Sausage, tamales and pork. Tic Toc!

[HouseHomey]

What? No rusty rim laying around for spare parts..

[radshop]

You know the Irvine city council would be ALL OVER THAT!!!

[Troutman]

Yea I second the OUTSTANDING seal of approval. This is exactly what I'd like to see not only from our guys here who have traveled, but from the guys outside of the states who can introduce us to different types of bbq treatments, seasoning, methods and techniques. Fantastic job radshop, you have me thinking lamb kabobs BIG time !!!

[Attjack]

That looks awesome, radshop.

[HouseHomey]

Seriously BWAHAHAHA City Council..... Troutman I'm thinking of my lamb meatballs. Dang...

[Potkettleblack]

Nice cook... will be lifting the spice combination.

[Lost in China]

Haha, the chunks of meat are not nearly tiny and mean enough. And you forgot to put bits of pure fat on there to stretch the meat out. Just kidding, that looks great. I'm sure the yang rou chuan they have in Xinjiang is better than the stuff the Uighurs serve the Han when they come to eastern China.

Those bread rounds are excellent. They do a great job standing up to the very greasy lamb. There's only one place in town that makes it, now that you remind me I need to stop by and get some. They go well with curry, which I think I will make tonight.

[radshop]

Haha, the chunks of meat are not nearly tiny and mean enough. And you forgot to put bits of pure fat on there to stretch the meat out. Just kidding, that looks great. I'm sure the yang rou chuan they have in Xinjiang is better than the stuff the Uighurs serve the Han when they come to eastern China.

Those bread rounds are excellent. They do a great job standing up to the very greasy lamb. There's only one place in town that makes it, now that you remind me I need to stop by and get some. They go well with curry, which I think I will make tonight.

Ha! You know the score. So actually, I was in Ningxia at a time when foreigners were pretty rare and a real attraction. The street vendors would take good care of me to keep me coming back because I would draw a crowd. One woman was overheard telling her son, "Eat lots of meat so you can grow tall like the foreigner." My regular guy would hold back a few skewers of lamb kidney for me because he knew it was my favorite.

Hmm... I gotta figure out how to get some good lamb kidney. I should be able to find some between the Chinese grocery and the Helal butcher.

[Potkettleblack]

I'm sure a good butcher can get it for you... OC almost certainly has at least one whole animal butcher...