Xinjiang laghman features chewy noodles served with a bold and rich lamb and tomato sauce that is bursting with flavor. Quite easy to put together yet scrumptious, this one is perfect for your Sunday dinner or prep meal for your week.
What is laghman?
Laghman (新疆拌面, Xinjiang Ban Mian) is a traditional noodle dish originating in the Xinjiang region, which is home to a significant Uyghur population.
Laghman usually uses freshly made noodles served with a sauce of stir fried meat and vegetables. The stir-fry often includes ingredients like onions, peppers, tomatoes, and garlic, and is seasoned with cumin and chili flakes. The combination of these vegetables with the meat creates a rich and flavorful sauce.
This dish reflects the cultural blend of Central Asian and Chinese influences that characterize Uyghur cuisine.
Ingredients for laghman
What type of noodles to use in laghman?
The best type of noodles to use in laghman are fresh homemade noodles. Either hand pulled noodles or rolled noodles work well.
If you do not have time to make homemade noodles, don’t worry! A lot of store-bought wheat noodles work really well in this dish, as well.
I used Havista brand “Wife’s Noodles”, which is a type of wheat noodle that has a similar shape to spaghetti. They are thick enough for a chewy texture, and thin enough to soak up the tomato sauce. You can find these noodles in the refrigerated or freezer section at large Asian grocery stores and Chinese markets.
Dried noodles such as udon noodles or noodles that have a similar shape work nicely as well. The main ingredients should be wheat and water.
What cut of lamb to use?
Lamb leg is my favorite cut to use in laghman. It’s very flavorful and just fatty enough to be juicy and tender. Alternatively, you can also try it with lamb stew meat. For a cheaper option, it’s also great to use ground lamb. Ground lamb is easier to source, stays tender during cooking, and creates amazing flavor as well.
Can I use a different meat for laghman?
Xinjiang cuisine is quite famous for using lamb and it’s a staple in many dishes. But if you do not want to use lamb, beef is a great alternative in this dish. The flavors of the dish work really well with cuts of beef such as flank steak, or ground beef.
Set up
When you’re ready to cook, your table should have:
- Marinated lamb
- Diced tomato (or canned tomato)
- Sliced red onion
- Sliced pepper
- Noodles
- Sliced garlic
- Chinese chili flakes
- Tomato paste
- Cumin powder
- I am willow
- Salt and sugar
How to cook laghman
Cooking laghman is quite easy once you have all the ingredients gathered:
- Brown the lamb and transfer it to a plate
- Saute the red onion
- Toast the chili flakes and garlic
- Cook the tomato until it starts to break down
- Add the seasonings and braise
- Add the pepper
- Return the cooked lamb to the pan
- Mix everything together and adjust the seasoning if needed
While the sauce is cooking, you should also boil the noodles on the side, so everything will be done around the same time.
How to serve laghman
To serve laghman, simply place the noodles in individual bowls and add plenty of lamb sauce. Stir everything together and enjoy it as a main dish.
In China, laghman is a dish we usually order from small hole-in-the-wall diners for a quick lunch. Sometimes the restaurant might bring out pickles or a simple cucumber salad to go along with it. At home, this is a hearty dish you can serve for lunch or dinner. The sauce can be easily made ahead of time and served later, making it perfect for meal prep as well.
Other delicious noodle dishes
Noodles with Lamb Sauce (Laghman, Xinjiang Noodles)
Xinjiang laghman features chewy noodles served with a bold and rich lamb and tomato sauce that is bursting with flavor. Quite easy to put together yet scrumptious, this one is perfect for your Sunday dinner or prep meal for your week.
Ingredients
Marinating
- 1 lb (450 g) lamb leg or ground lamb
- 2 teaspoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Cooking
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 purple onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 teaspoons Chinese chili flakes
- 5 tomato chopped (or 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 2 anaheim pepper (or 1 bell pepper, diced)
- 1 to 1.3 lbs (450 to 600 g) fresh noodles (or 12 oz / 340 g) dried thin wheat noodles
Instructions
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Cube lamb leg into 1/2” (1-cm) cubes (or just use ground lamb) and add it to a medium-sized bowl. Add the rest of the marinating ingredients. Mix well and allow to marinate at room temperature for about 15 minutes while preparing the other ingredients.
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Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook the noodles according to instructions. Then transfer to a colander to drain. Run the noodles with cold tap water to stop cooking. Drain again and set aside.
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Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the lamb and spread out with minimal overlap. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the surface turns light brown but the meat is still slightly pink inside, about 2 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a plate and set aside. Save the oil in the skillet.
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Pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onion. Stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion starts to soften.
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Add the garlic and chili flakes. Stir and cook to release fragrance. Add the tomato. Stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the tomato starts to break down. Add the light soy sauce, tomato paste, cumin powder, sugar, and salt. Stir and cook to mix everything well, until the tomato has broken down and becomes saucy.
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Add the pepper. Stir and cook until just softened but still crisp, 1 minute if using anaheim pepper, 2 to 3 minutes if using bell pepper.
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Return the lamb back to the skillet and stir to mix well. Cook just long enough so the lamb is warmed through and not overcooked. If you’re using ground meat, you can cook it a bit longer to release more flavor and it won’t overcook.
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To serve the noodles, fluff the noodles again and transfer to each serving plate. Add the noodle sauce. Stir to mix well and enjoy while hot!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 514kcal, Carbohydrates: 68.1g, Protein: 31.7g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2.7g, Cholesterol: 52mg, Sodium: 1501mg, Potassium: 976mg, Fiber: 7.3g, Sugar: 14.1g, Calcium: 61mg, Iron: 7mg
