Ingredients

Method

• 300 g lamb fillet (or deboned loin)
• 2 t ginger, finely chopped
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 2 ground Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 t salt
• 2 T light soy sauce
• 1 T yellow bean sauce
• 1 T hoisin sauce
• 1 t five-spice powder
• 2 T Shaoxing rice wine
• Peanut or sunflower oil, for deep-frying
For serving
• Crisp lettuce leaves
• Hoisin sauce
• Shredded cucumber and spring onions

Method

Ingredients

Cut the lamb into 6 long strips along the grain. Mix with the ginger, onion, pepper, salt, soy sauce, yellow bean sauce, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder and rice wine.
Marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Put the lamb and marinade in a heatproof dish on a rack or steamer, and steam over simmering water, tightly covered, for about 2 hours, until very tender.
If necessary, add more boiling water from time to time. Before serving, deep-fry the lamb for a few minutes until deep brown, then cut it into bite-sized shreds.
To serve, place some lamb in the lettuce leaves with a dab of hoisin sauce. Add the cucumber and spring-onion shreds, and roll into a parcel.

TASTE’s take:
This recipe comes from that veritable bible of Chinese cooking, The Food of China, published by Murdoch Books.