We got a killer deal on lamb steaks not too long ago, which is totally awesome, because we love the strong and bold flavour of it. At about $5 for 3 steaks, it was a steal! Make friends with the guy behind the meat counter at the grocery store or your local butcher. :)
I prepped the lamb by marinating it in lots of cumin, a touch of crushed red pepper, sprinkling of ground black pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, a little chicken bouillon and the juice of a lime. I let it meld together for about an hour at room temperature and cooked it in a med/hot pan until medium-rare.
The pan was de-glazed with chicken stock and thickened with a little cornstarch slurry and seasoned to taste. While the rice was already done and keeping warm, I made a quick cucumber salad mirroring some of the ingredients used to flavour the lamb.
To make the salad, simple cut the cucumbers into bite sized pieces. Heat up a couple tablespoons of oil (I used peanut) and remove from heat. Add in a 3-4 cloves of minced garlic, a tablespoon of sesame seeds and teaspoon of sesame oil. If you want a bit of heat, add crushed red pepper flakes and stir. Then add a small splash of rice vinegar and some salt to taste. Yum!
It's best to serve this fresh, as the cucumbers tend to release water over time.
I make seasoned rice a lot, because it's flavourful and has a pretty golden hue to it. Replacing water with chicken stock completely changes the rice and makes it just that much more delicious! Sometimes I'll add a pat or two if butter, but I always add in turmeric. It's good for you and adds a little colour, naturally. Try it!