Based on the meaty skewers sold by street vendors in China, these twice-spiced beef skewers are served sizzling hot and richly flavored with cumin and chilies — a far more exciting Memorial Day dish than the usual hot dog or hamburger. In this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year ,” a heady spice mixture goes onto the beef just before cooking, with more sprinkled on at the end. This creates layers of flavor you don’t get from skewers that are merely marinated and grilled.
Strips of beefy flat-iron steak are first combined with a mixture of sherry, soy sauce and oil to give them a deeply savory note. Keeping the meat in strips rather than cubes increases the surface area available for browning while ensuring it cooks quickly and evenly. While the meat is seasoned, the cumin, fennel and tingly Sichuan peppercorns are toasted until fragrant, then coarsely ground and combined with salt.
A portion of the mixture is set aside, and the remainder is sprinkled over both sides of the meat and patted gently onto the surface to help it adhere. The skewers then are grilled hot and fast over charcoal until charred on all sides, then finished with the reserved spice mixture and drizzled with chili oil for a bit of heat. To make lamb skewers instead of beef, called yang rou chuan, substitute boneless lamb shoulder or leg; be sure to slice the meat against the grain.
Though these typically are enjoyed as a snack, if served with.
