Spiced skewered lamb

Notes: In Beijing there are many street stalls selling Muslim delicacies and snacks such as 'chuan rou' ('Chuan' means 'skewered' and 'Rou' means 'meat' in Mandarin Chinese) - in fact, they have become so popular they are found all over China, and not just in the north.

Here, the meat is coated in spices, skewered and then cooked on a grill or barbecue, which gives it an irresistible smoky flavour. It is served with a simple orange fennel salad, which complements the spiciness of the dish. For a Western serving suggestion, lightly coat some plain ciabatta bread with olive oil, season with ground fennel, cumin, salt, paprika and chili powder and then toast on a griddle.

1) Soak 8 to 10 wooden skewers in water for about 20 minutes.

2) Combine the chilli flakes, cumin, fennel seeds, oil, soy sauce, rice wine, paprika, and salt in a bowl. Add the meat to the spices, and toss to coat. Thread the meat onto the skewers.

3) Heat a griddle pan over a high heat, and add a drizzle of olive oil. Place the skewers into the pan, and cook until they brown on one side, then turn them over, and continue cooking for l minute. Turn off the heat, and serve.