“Top Chef Masters” winner Floyd Cardoz identifies this recipe in his new cookbook, “Flavorwalla,” as the quintessential stir-fry from street carts that he and fellow students in Bombay would slurp down after long nights at their desks. The New York chef makes it at home, and now I do, too. The ingredients are simple and few, yet the flavor’s complex.
Monitoring the heat under your pan is key here, as is a gentle incorporation of the lamb, so the eggs stay creamy.
Serve with diced ripe tomatoes or baked tomatoes, and soft, warm roti or flour tortillas.
Stir-Fried Ground Lamb and Eggs
4 servings
Adapted from “Flavorwalla: Big Flavor. Bold Spices. A New Way to Cook the Foods You Love,” by Floyd Cardoz (Artisan, 2016).
12 ounces ground lamb
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
2 1/4 teaspoons finely ground coriander
1 large onion
2-inch piece fresh ginger root
6 extra-large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Leaves from 4 stems mint
Leaves from 4 stems cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
Season the ground lamb well with salt and pepper.
Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil, the ground coriander and the teaspoon of black pepper in a large saute pan over medium heat; cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the lamb; increase the heat to high and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until no trace of raw meat remains but the meat still looks juicy. Transfer to a bowl.
Peel and chop the onion to yield 1 1/2 cups. Peel and mince the ginger to yield 1 1/2 tablespoons. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until well blended.
Reduce the heat to medium, then add the remaining 1/4 cup of oil to the pan; once it’s heated, stir in the onion, ginger, turmeric and cayenne. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent.
Return the lamb to the pan; cook for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Shove the onion-lamb mixture to one side of the pan. Pour in the eggs on the open side and cook, stirring, just until they are barely set and still creamy; be patient and incorporate the ground lamb gradually. Season lightly with salt.
While the eggs are cooking, mince the mint and cilantro or parsley leaves; gather them together and add to the pan. Remove from the heat.
Divide the lamb-and-egg mixture among individual warmed plates. Serve right away.
Per serving: 530 calories, 26 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 44 g fat, 13 g saturated fat, 385 mg cholesterol, 210 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 3 g sugar
