Nigella

Slow Roast 5-Spice Lamb With Chinese Pancakes

Some friends told me about a year ago that they’d gone to a Chinese restaurant and, instead of having duck in pancakes, they’d had soft, shredded lamb. I became obsessed. I thought about it constantly. I endlessly imagined what it had tasted like. I dreamt of it. Enough! I just I had to cook it. I did. And then I didn’t stop. I think by now I could stir up the 5-spice mixture and get this in the oven in my sleep. But then, it is very, very easy. Of course, I don’t make my own Chinese pancakes. For that matter, I’m told Chinese restaurants don’t either. Though please don’t feel confined to eating the lamb this way; it’s very good bundled into lettuce wraps, too. You may need to be rather brutal with the lettuce as you tear the leaves off to provide the edible wrappers for the lamb, so I suggest you need one to two icebergs. If you want to perk the leaves up a little, making sure they curve into appropriate respositories for later, leave them in a big bowlful of very cold water (throw in ice cubes too) for 20 minutes or so, then make sure you drain them well before piling them up on their plate. For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.