Sha Phaley

Ingredients

• 350 g plain flour
• 0.75 tsp fine salt (for the dough)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200 ml warm water
• 400 g minced beef, around 15 percent fat
• 200 g white cabbage, very finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 20 g ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1.25 tsp fine salt (for the filling)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp cold beef stock or water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (for the filling)
• 250 ml vegetable oil, for frying

Before you cook

• Mix the flour, 0.75 teaspoon of salt, the baking powder and the warm water into a soft dough and knead for 8 minutes.
• Cover the dough and rest it for 30 minutes.
• Chop the cabbage as finely as possible, then squeeze it in a cloth to remove excess water.
• Chop the onion, spring onions, garlic and ginger finely.
• Mix the beef, cabbage, onion, spring onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, 1.25 teaspoons of salt, black pepper and 1 tablespoon of oil in a bowl.
• Beat in the cold stock a spoonful at a time, stirring in one direction, until the filling is loose and glossy.

Steps

1. Divide the rested dough into eight pieces and keep them covered.
2. Roll one piece into a round about 16 centimetres across and 2 millimetres thick.
3. Pile an eighth of the filling onto one half of the round, leaving a 2 centimetre border.
4. Fold the empty half over the filling and press the edges together to seal.
5. Crimp the curved edge by folding small pleats over one another, or press it flat with a fork.
6. Shape the remaining seven the same way and rest them for 5 minutes.
7. Pour the frying oil into a wide frying pan to a depth of about 1 centimetre and heat it to 170C.
8. Lower two or three breads into the oil, seam side away from you.
9. Fry for 4 minutes, until the underside is deep golden and blistered.
10. Turn the breads and fry the second side for 4 minutes.
11. Lift them out and drain on a rack, not on paper, so the crust stays crisp.
12. Fry the remaining breads in the same way, letting the oil come back to temperature between batches.
13. Rest for 3 minutes before eating, then cut each one in half to let the steam out.