Xinjiang Nangbaorou

Ingredients

• 800 g lamb shoulder on the bone, cut into 4 cm chunks
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, cut into thick wedges
• 4 dried red chillies
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 25 g ginger, sliced
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 20 g rock sugar
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 600 ml hot water
• 2 medium potatoes, cut into 3 cm chunks
• 1 green pepper, cut into squares
• 1 red pepper, cut into squares
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 large naan or 2 plain flatbreads
• 1 tsp salt

Before you cook

• Put the lamb chunks in a pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil.
• Boil the lamb for 3 minutes, skimming off the grey foam, then drain and rinse the meat.
• Slice the garlic and ginger, and cut the onion into thick wedges.
• Cut the potatoes into 3 centimetre chunks and both peppers into squares.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a heavy casserole over medium-high heat.
2. Add the rock sugar and stir until it melts and turns the colour of amber, about 2 minutes.
3. Tip in the blanched lamb and stir for 3 minutes until every piece is glossy and coloured.
4. Add the onion wedges, garlic, ginger, dried chillies, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves and Sichuan peppercorns, then fry for 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
6. Pour in both soy sauces and the hot water, then bring to a simmer.
7. Cover and cook gently for 60 minutes, until the lamb pulls easily from the bone.
8. Add the potato chunks and the salt, then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
9. Stir in the peppers and the ground cumin and cook for 5 more minutes.
10. Raise the heat and boil hard for 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the meat.
11. Tear the naan into large pieces and spread them across a big serving platter.
12. Spoon the lamb, potatoes and all the sauce over the bread and serve immediately.