Crispy Mongolian lamb lettuce wraps
Rich lamb works perfectly with fresh, crisp lettuce and sweet stir-fried vegetables.
Ingredients
For the lamb
- 250g/9oz lamb fillet or cheaper cut like lamb leg steaks (remove any sinew), sliced into small 5mm X 2cm/1in strips
- 2 tbsp potato flour
- 2 tbsp tapioca granules, ground
- groundnut oil, for deep-frying
For the marinade
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
- ½ tsp ground dry-toasted Sichuan peppercorns
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp low-sodium light soy sauce
- 1 tsp yellow bean paste
- 1 tsp hoisin sauce
- 1 pinch Chinese five-spice powder
For the stir-fry
- ½ orange, juice only
- 1 tsp runny honey
- 1 tbsp low-sodium light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp groundnut oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 medium courgettes, top and tailed, sliced to 5mm/¼in cube pieces
- 2 red Romano peppers, deseeded and chopped to 5mm/¼in cube pieces
- 1 small handful roasted salted cashew nuts
To serve
- 1 iceberg lettuce, halved, separated, washed and refrigerated
- 3-4 kumquats, finely sliced (two pieces in each wrap)
- fresh purple/yellow edible flowers, optional
- few coriander leaves
Method
Place the lamb pieces into a non-metallic bowl. Add the marinade ingredients. Mix well, cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Remove the lamb from the marinade, dust with potato flour and then the ground tapioca granules.
Heat a saucepan or wok over a medium heat, half fill with groundnut oil and heat to 180C/350F or until a piece of bread turns golden brown in 15 seconds (Caution: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended). Place the lamb strips onto a metal slotted spoon and gently lower into the oil and cook for 30 seconds or until the lamb turns golden-brown and crisp. Remove, drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
For the stir-fry, mix together the orange juice, runny honey and light soy sauce.
Heat a wok over high heat, add the groundnut oil and garlic and fry for a few seconds to release the aroma. Add the courgettes and peppers and cook stirring constantly for a few seconds. Then add the cashew nuts, and the orange soy honey mixture. Give it one final stir take it off the heat.
To serve, remove the lettuce cups from the fridge, place onto a serving plate. Spoon the stir-fried vegetables into each parcel (holding back any liquid), top with the crispy Mongolian lamb pieces and dress with kumquat slices, edible flowers if using and coriander leaves.
Recipe Tips
For vegetarians/vegans, leave out the lamb.