Lamb Shapta

Fragrant with heady spices and exotic flavour, this dish combines the spicy, sweet and salty flavours that are synonymous with North East India and Tibet. Courtesy of Atul Kochhar

Ingredients

500 g Lamb Loin Fillet
Sunflower Oil

For the marinade

1 Tbsp Cornflour
1 Tbsp Rice Wine
1 Tsp Chilli Flakes
Sea Salt to taste
1 Tsp of Szechuan pepper.

For the Shapta Sauce

1 Tbsp Sunflower Oil
4 Garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 Tbsp Red Chilli flakes
50 ml Light Soy Sauce
1 Tsp Szechuan pepper powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 Tsp sugar
100 ml Tomato Ketchup
2 Tbsp Water

To Serve

2 Tbsp Sunflower Oil
4 Garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
2 whole Red Chillies, slit open
4 Spring Onions, lower half cut into strips
1 Red Pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
1 Yellow Pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
1 medium Bok Choi, cut into strips
3 cm Ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips

Method

Make the Shapta Sauce first

Heat oil over a medium heat, add the garlic and chilli flakes and sauté for about 2 minutes.
Add the soy sauce, Szechuan pepper, black pepper and sugar, followed by tomato ketchup.
Add water and simmer for 3 – 4 minutes then remove from the heat

For the Lamb

Combine the marinade ingredient in a bowl.
Cut the lamb into thin slices and add to the marinade, stir so the lamb is completely coated.
Leave for one hour or so
Heat a frying pan and add the lamb.
Cook for a couple of minutes until the lamb is brown in colour.
Remove to a tray lined with kitchen paper.

And finally

Finally, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok and sauté the garlic and whole red chillies for about 2 minutes.
Add peppers and onions and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Then add Shapta Sauce and Lamb.
Add spring onion, ginger and Bok Choi and sauté for 2-3 minutes

Serve.