Slow Lamb Flatbreads with Tamarind Onions

• 1.2kgboneless lamb shoulder, cut into 5cm chunks
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1large onion, thinly sliced
• 4garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 30gginger, peeled and finely grated
• 2 tspChinese five spice
• 2star anise
• 60mlShaoxing wine
• 3 tbsplight soy sauce
• 1 tbspdark soy sauce
• 450mlchicken stock
• 300gpointed cabbage, finely shredded
• 4spring onions, thinly sliced
• Fine salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 35gtamarind paste
• 1red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 tbsprice vinegar
• 2 tsplight soy sauce
• 1 tspcaster sugar
• 1small cucumber, halved lengthways and thinly sliced
• 8small soft wheat flatbreads, about 400g

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 160°C fan. Season the lamb well with fine salt and black pepper.
2. 2Heat the olive oil in a large lidded casserole over a high heat. Brown the lamb in two batches for 10 minutes per batch until deeply coloured all over, then lift it onto a plate.
3. 3Turn the heat to medium and cook the sliced onion for 6 minutes until softened and catching at the edges. Add the garlic, ginger, Chinese five spice and star anise for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. 4Pour in the Shaoxing wine and bubble for 2 minutes until the sharp alcohol smell has cooked off. Stir in both soy sauces and the stock, then return the lamb and any juices to the casserole.
5. 5Cover and bake for 3 hours until the lamb collapses easily when pressed with a fork. Check once halfway through and add a splash of water only if the liquid is reducing below a third of the meat.
6. 6After 2 hours 40 minutes, combine the tamarind paste, red onion, rice vinegar, light soy sauce and caster sugar in a bowl. Leave for 15 minutes until the onion has softened slightly and the tamarind has turned glossy, then fold in the cucumber.
7. 7Lift the lamb onto the chopping board and pull it into rough shreds with two forks. Discard the star anise, put the casserole over a medium heat and stir in the cabbage for 5 minutes until tender with a little bite; return the lamb and add the spring onions for 2 minutes until steaming and glossy.
8. 8Warm the flatbreads under a medium grill for 2 minutes, turning once, until pliable and lightly blistered. Spoon in the lamb and cabbage, then top with the tamarind onions and cucumber.

Per serving

kcal

1302

protein

62.8g

fibre

7.9g

carbs

77.8g

fat

82.9g