Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless leg of lamb
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 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

Instructions

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.
2. Make sauce: In a bowl stir together sauce ingredients until combined well. 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. 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. 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.
3. In a bowl stir together sauce ingredients until combined well.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Serve stir-fry over rice.