Then Lin Xu set up the non-stick pan, and without waiting for it to heat fully, he placed half a bowl of cumin seeds inside, roasting them slowly over a low flame.
Cumin is a very interesting spice; it must be roasted at the moment it's used for its aroma to be potent. If roasted in advance, it loses scent when dampened and might even mold.
Once the cumin seeds turned a charred yellow on the surface, he turned off the heat.
After pouring them out, he gave them a few pounds with a garlic mortar, not too fine, just enough texture for a more robust aroma.
With the cumin ready, he then put coarse chili powder into the pan, roasting it to bring out its fragrant spice.
While the meat was still marinating and the dough hadn't risen yet.
Lin Xu added several broken pieces of star anise into the pan, sautéing for aroma, then added a small handful of Sichuan peppercorns, followed by some fennel.
