Yangrou Paomo

Ingredients

• 1.5kg lamb or mutton bones
• 700g lamb shoulder, in one piece
• 3 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp cloves
• 2 tsp white peppercorns
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 thumb ginger, sliced
• 3 spring onions, halved
• 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 300g wheat flour
• 150ml water
• 3g instant yeast
• 100g glass noodles (mung bean vermicelli)
• 1 small handful wood ear mushrooms, soaked
• 4 tbsp pickled sweet garlic cloves, to serve
• 1 handful coriander, chopped
• 4 tbsp chilli oil, to serve

Before you cook

• Soak the lamb bones and shoulder in cold water for 2 hours, changing the water twice.
• Tie the star anise, cinnamon, fennel, cloves, white peppercorns, bay leaves and cumin into muslin.
• Mix the flour, water and yeast into a stiff dough, knead for 8 minutes, and rest it for 40 minutes.
• Soak the wood ear mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes, then slice them.
• Soak the glass noodles in warm water for 15 minutes and drain.

Steps

1. Put the drained bones and lamb shoulder in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil.
2. Skim the surface thoroughly for 10 minutes until the foam stops rising.
3. Add the spice bag, ginger and spring onions, then lower the heat to a bare simmer.
4. Simmer for 2 hours, then lift out the lamb shoulder and set it aside to cool.
5. Continue simmering the bones for another 2 hours until the broth tastes rich and rounded.
6. Strain the broth into a clean pot and season it with the salt.
7. Slice the cooled lamb shoulder thinly against the grain.
8. Divide the rested bread dough into 4 pieces and flatten each into a disc about 12cm across and 1.5cm thick.
9. Heat a dry heavy pan over medium-low heat and cook each disc for 6 minutes per side, until pale gold with a firm dry crumb.
10. Set the breads aside for 20 minutes so they firm up further and become easy to tear.
11. Give each person a large empty bowl and one bread, and have them tear it into crumbs the size of a fingernail.
12. Bring the broth back to a hard boil.
13. Add the glass noodles and wood ear to the broth and cook for 2 minutes.
14. Ladle the boiling broth, noodles and mushrooms over the torn bread until the crumbs are just covered.
15. Lay the sliced lamb on top of each bowl.
16. Finish with chopped coriander and a spoon of chilli oil.
17. Serve with pickled sweet garlic on the side, to be eaten between mouthfuls.