I feel very blessed to be living in a country that doesn’t run out of lamb or mutton. Cambodia is a tropical country and the humidity is very high so it’s not the best place for sheep. There are very few black sheep around, but I’m not really sure what they do with them. We were living in Cambodia then when my dad first introduced lamb to us, it was Australian imported lamb which was only sold in a Cambodian western supermarket that sold mostly Australian imported products. They weren’t the best looking pieces of meat back then, but they tasted amazing. Since then lamb has became one of my favourite meats, probably more than pork and beef. Because of it’s strong and unique smell and flavour I found that it also goes very well with asian strong spices and herbs. For those of you with courage you can try camel meat which tastes similar to lamb but is more mild in taste.
I made this recipe because I sometimes have a craving for battered or crumbed meat. I used to work in a fast food store a long while back and I used to love their pop corn chicken, but after I worked around oil for a while I kind of get sick of the smell and really don’t want anything to do with deep frying. It wasn’t just the smell that bothered, it was also the type of oil that they used and how long it’s been there. So if you are the healthy people like we are and want to try something new that is simple to make but delicious, this recipe is for you!
Note: to make this the healthiest way I recommend using the lean meat rather than meat with fat. Some oil will be sprayed on the meat before they go into the oven so there will be enough oil to help them cook and stay moist.
I use paprika in this recipe, but I also can use chilli powder instead if I want to add some heat. If you are making this as a meal I recommend having it with a soup dish to help with your digestion.
POPCORN LAMB
Prep-Time: 25 mins Serve: 2
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Ingredients
600g lamb, cube medium
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh grounded pepper
1 tsp paprika
oil
Method
Marinate the lamb with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp paprika. Leave it to sit for 15-30 minutes.
Preheat the oven at 220°C Fan Force. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside. Mix the flour with the rest of the salt, pepper and paprika.
Dredge the marinated lamb with the seasoned flour in batches and then place them on the lined tray. Spray oil evenly over the lamb and then cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the tray out of the oven and turn them over. Return the tray to the oven and cook for another10 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
