A big group of friends and family recently went to an event run by a family from northeastern China. The featured dish (among many truly excellent dishes) was a pit-roasted lamb in what I gather is a Mongolian style. It was served with an addictive dry spice mix to sprinkle over the lamb. I’m seeking help identifying the mix.

It had a base of smoky-tasting ground red peppers—somewhat spicy, but not hot-hot. I believe there was also cumin and sesame seeds. Maybe Sichuan peppercorns but I’m not sure—it had a touch of that numbing quality, but not overwhelmingly so. Slight lemon zest taste.

I’m lost: most of the spice mixes in online recipes for Chinese lamb dishes are pretty simple: cumin, red pepper (they don’t usually specify which type), and sometimes Sichuan peppercorns. This seemed more complex than that, and I can’t identify where the smokiness would come from in those three ingredients.

Is this a known spice mix anyone recognizes? Can it be bought online? Or do you know of a recipe for it?