Succulent lamb, marinated to perfection in a savoury Mongolian sauce, meets the pillowy warmth of bao buns, to create a delightful meal the whole family will enjoy.
Serves: 4
Preparation: 1.5 hours
Cooking: 20 minutes
500g lamb leg steaks, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil
1/4 small red cabbage, shredded
1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into matchsticks
1/2 nashi or firm green pear, cut into matchsticks
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup Japanese mayonnaise
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3cm piece fresh ginger, finely grated
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
75g Mongolian paste
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp cornflour
Coriander sprigs, to serve
Bao buns
300ml warm water
50g potato starch
7g sachet dry yeast
2 1/2 tbsp caster sugar
450g white bread flour
For the Bao
1. Place warm water in a large bowl and whisk in the potato starch, yeast and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar until dissolved. Add the flour and
mix until a dough forms.
2. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes then lightly knead the dough until smooth. Repeat this process twice more, then divide the dough
into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Cover and leave for a further 10 minutes.
3. Roll each ball into a disc about 1cm thick with a little flour, brush the top of each disc lightly with oil then fold in half. Sit each disc on a piece of baking paper, dust lightly with flour, cover loosely and set aside until doubled in size (approx. 45-50 minutes).
For the filling
4. To make coleslaw, combine the cabbage, cucumber, pear and green onions in a bowl. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Sriracha and lime juice and stir to combine. Add 2 tablespoons mayonnaise to the coleslaw, season and toss to coat.
5. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a hot non-stick wok, cook lamb strips in batches till browned. Remove from wok and set aside.
6. Add a little more oil and garlic, ginger and red onion to wok; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Reduce heat, stir in Mongolian paste, and cook for a further minute. Combine brown sugar, cornflour and 1/4 cup water, add to wok and stir until boiling. Return lamb to wok, toss well to
heat through and season.
To finish
7. Heat a large steamer over a large saucepan of simmering water. Steam the buns, in batches, for 8 minutes until puffed up.
8. Prise open each bun and fill with lamb mixture, and coleslaw. Serve with remaining Sriracha mayonnaise and coriander sprigs.
Smart Tips
• If you’re short on time you can buy ready-to-go bao buns in most Asian supermarkets. Using pre-diced lamb instead of lamb steaks is another way you can speed up the process
• Mongolian paste is available in the Asian section of supermarkets or at Asian grocers or can be substituted for black bean sauce. Japanese (Kewpie) mayonnaise can also be found here
• Any type of cabbage, carrot or radish would work well in the coleslaw, for feel free to choose your preference.
