Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　1 pound boneless leg of lamb

　　2 tablespoons cornstarch

　　

For sauce

3/4 cup chicken broth

　　3 tablespoons honey

　　2 tablespoons soy sauce

　　2 tablespoons oyster sauce

　　3/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

　　1/2 pound eggplant (about 1 small)

　　3 celery ribs

　　3 garlic cloves

　　1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms

　　1/2 pound small white mushrooms

　　1 bunch watercress

　　4 tablespoons peanut oil

　　Accompaniment:Cooked Rice

　　

Step 1

Freeze lamb, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, 30 minutes, to facilitate slicing. Trim lamb well and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Halve lamb slices crosswise. In a large bowl toss lamb with cornstarch until coated well and season with salt and pepper.

　　

Make sauce:

Step 2

In a bowl stir together sauce ingredients until combined well.

　　

Step 3

Cut eggplant into 1-inch cubes. Diagonally cut celery into 1/4-inch-thick slices and mince garlic. Discard stems from shiitakes and halve caps (quarter if large). Halve white mushrooms lengthwise. Discard tough stems from watercress.

　　

Step 4

Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until a bead of water dropped on cooking surface evaporates immediately. Add 2 tablespoons oil, swirling wok or skillet to coat evenly, and heat until hot but not smoking. Add eggplant and stir-fry until golden and tender, about 4 minutes. Add celery and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms and stir-fry until mushrooms are tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

　　

Step 5

Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok or skillet and heat until just smoking. Stir-fry half of lamb, separating slices, until browned and transfer to bowl. Add remaining tablespoon oil and stir-fry remaining lamb in same manner, transferring to bowl.

　　

Step 6

Add sauce to wok or skillet and bring to a boil, stirring. Return lamb-vegetable mixture to wok or skillet and stir-fry until combined and heated through. Stir in watercress and season stir-fry with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 7

Serve stir-fry over rice.