Seasoned leg of lamb (Chinese cooking for Australians)

 

For 4 servings

• 2-2½ kg leg of lamb
• 5 slices fresh ginger
• 1 small onion
• 30 ml dark soy sauce
• 15 ml dry sherry
• 1 whole star anise
• 1 small piece of cinnamon bark
• 750 gr trimmed leeks, cut into 1inch (2.5 cm) diagonal slices

Sauce 

• 60 ml water
• 60 ml dark soy sauce
• 30 ml Hoisin sauce
• 20 ml dry sherry
• 45 ml sugar
• 10 ml sesame oil

Preparation

1. Place lamb leg in a large pot and add ginger, onion, dark soy sauce, sherry and spices ; cover with cold water.
2. Mix sauce ingredients in small saucepan.

Cooking

1. Bring lamb stock to boil over high heat, cover and reduce heat to medium-low ; simmer for 2 hours, or until meat is very tender.
2. Lift out and drain well ; bring the sauce to a boil and remove from heat.
3. Boil leeks for 1 minute in salted water ; drain.
4. Place lamb in a waterproof casserole and pour on the sauce ; cover and braise for about 15 minutes, turning once.
5. Add leeks and continue to cook on medium heat until they are tender ; turn meat from time to time and stir leeks.
6. Add a little reserved stock if the sauce dries up.
7. Cut meat into paper thin slices and return to the sauce briefly ; arrange the sliced meat, overlapped, on a serving plate.
8. Serve with Mandarin pancakes, Hoisin or plum sauce and the braised leeks.

BON APPÉTIT