Tingly Lamb Ssäm with Quick-Pickled Celery Slaw

This amazing braised lamb recipe is loosely inspired by a dish at Majordōmo in Los Angeles which is based on Sichuan toothpick lamb. Our chef friends at Momofuku Culinary Lab were kind enough to share it with us. Their advice: get both flatbread and lettuce, and you have lots of ssäm-building opportunities for friends and family.

Braised Lamb

Momofuku Tingly Seasoned Salt

1/4 cup cumin seeds, ground

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3 pounds lamb shoulder

2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, vegetable or safflower

2 onions, sliced

1 jalapeno, sliced

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 12-ounce can light beer

1 cup Momofuku Soy Sauce

1 lemon, quartered

Quick-Pickled Celery Slaw and Ssäm

2 stalks celery, shaved or thinly sliced

2 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish

1 teaspoon sugar

Kosher salt

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

Momofuku Chili Crunch

Bibb lettuce or flatbread

For the lamb:

Place 1/2 cup Tingly Seasoned Salt, ground cumin, and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl and stir to combine. Cut lamb shoulder into small pieces and top with about three quarters of the seasoning mix, mixing with your hands to be sure the seasoning evenly coats the lamb. Set at room temperature for 1 hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a large braiser or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the lamb and sear on all sides until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Remove lamb from the pan and set aside on a plate. Add the onions, jalapeno and garlic to the pan and cook until onions are softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the can of beer and deglaze, scraping up all the browned bits. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add soy sauce, 2 cups water, and juice from three quarters of the lemon. Bring to a simmer, add the lamb pieces back into the pot, along with any accumulated juices. Cover and place in preheated oven, and braise for 2 hours.

When the meat is cooked, remove the pot from the oven and increase oven temperature to 400°F. Uncover and using a fork, quickly pull apart the meat in the pot. Return the pot to the oven, uncovered, and roast until most of the liquid has evaporated and the top is beginning to crisp, about 20 minutes longer.

For the slaw and ssäm:

Meanwhile, make the quick-pickled celery slaw. Combine the celery with scallions, remaining quarter of lemon, sugar, and a pinch of Kosher salt in a small bowl. In another small bowl, stir 1/2 teaspoon of Tingly Seasoned Salt into the Greek yogurt and top with Momofuku Chili Crunch.

Serve lamb topped with scallions alongside the celery slaw and tingly yogurt, along with flatbread andlettuce wraps to make ssäms.