Recipe for Hunan Lamb

Ingredients for Hunan Lamb:
1 pound
lamb, boneless
Marinade:
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry
sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Other:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
for stir-frying, or as needed
2 large leeks
3 to 4 red hot chili
peppers, as desired
2 slices ginger (enough to make 2 teaspoons
minced)
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
Salt, to
taste

Hunan Lamb preparation instruction:
Cut the lamb into paper thin slices. Mix the lamb with the
marinade ingredients. Marinate the lamb in the refrigerator, covered, for 30
minutes.

While the lamb is marinating, prepare the vegetables. Wash
the leeks and cut on the diagonal into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Cut the chili
peppers in half, remove the seeds, and chop. Mince the ginger.

Also
while the lamb is marinating, prepare the sauce. Mix together the rice
vinegar, sugar and water and set aside. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water
and set aside.

Heat a wok over medium-high to high heat. Add 1
tablespoon oil. Add the leeks and stir-fry until they turn a light brown
(about 2 minutes). Season the leeks with a bit of soy sauce or salt during
stir-frying if desired. Remove the leeks from the wok.

Heat 2
tablespoons oil in the wok. Add the minced ginger and chopped chilies.
Stir-fry briefly until the ginger is aromatic and the chilies just begin to
blister (about 1 minute). Add the sliced lamb. Lay flat for 1 minute, then
stir-fry until it loses its pink color and is nearly cooked through (3 to 4
minutes).

Give the sauce and the cornstarch and water slurry a quick
re-stir. Push the lamb up to the sides of the wok. Add the sauce in the
middle of the wok. Turn up the heat and add the cornstarch slurry, stirring
quickly to thicken.

Add the leeks back into the wok. Mix everything
together. Taste and add salt or other seasonings if desired. Serve hot