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Lamb with cumin is a natural, a favorite throughout the Middle East. This is a quick stir-fry to be tucked into pitas and eaten immediately. — From David Tanis Market Cooking by David Tanis. Buy this book from Artisan Books, Indiebound, or Amazon.
Reprinted with permission from David Tanis Market Cooking, 2017. Published by Artisan Books. Photographs copyright © 2017 Evan Sung.
Put the lamb in a bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the ground and whole cumin, coriander, crushed red pepper, and olive oil and toss well to coat. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
To make the tahini sauce, in a small bowl, stir together the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and cayenne. Whisk in the yogurt and season with salt and black pepper.
Put the cucumbers in a colander and season lightly with salt. Leave for 10 minutes to drain, then rinse briefly with cold water and blot with a kitchen towel.
Put the yogurt in a bowl. Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon salt, the garlic, mint, dill, red pepper, and cumin, then whisk in the olive oil. Fold in the cucumbers. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to a few hours (if held longer, it loses its fresh taste). Just before serving, taste and adjust the seasoning.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until nearly smoking. Add the lamb in one layer (no need to add oil to the pan) and let it sear for a minute to firm slightly. (If necessary, brown the lamb in batches so as not to crowd the pan.) Then stir-fry until the lamb is well browned and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the garlic, parsley, and lemon zest, and stir to coat. Transfer to a platter.
Serve with the warmed pitas, tahini sauce, and cucumbers.
