馕包肉 Fragrant Stew Over Naan

This is sooo delicious I can't describe it you are just going to have to try it. The flavors are so exotic yet it feels like comfort food. This is the closest thing to pizza that chinese food has to offer with a fusion of Chinese and Turkish flavors from the north-west of China. You can't leave out the Sichuan peppercorns on this one, they really kick up the exoticness of this dish and take it to the moon, I have never tried anything like it.
Mike and I frequent a Muslim Chinese restaurant near his work and they were kind enough to answer some questions I had about how to make this dish. Like all chinese food everyone does it a little different but I really like this restaurants version. The recipe here is quite large and meant to feed 5-6 people but it can easily be down-sized.

12 small dried red chillies

8 cloves of garlic

Ginger (half the amount in proportion to the garlic)

1 large yellow onion

2 medium size potatoes

2 mild green chili peppers

Either 1 whole chicken (cut into 2 inch pieces) or 1 rack lamb or beef ribs (cut into individual ribs)

1 cup broad bean paste (use pixian brand if you can find it)

2 Tbsp. white sugar

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sichuan peppercorns

2 bay leaves

4 star anise

1 tsp. whole cumin and 1 tsp. ground

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

2 Tbsp. ketchup

2 Tbsp. Chinese Black Vinegar (Substitutions: Sherry, red wine or Basalmic vinegar)

1 large Nang, cut into thin slices (recipe for nang in a January 2010 post)

Toast the dry chillies in hot oil until they start to darken, remove and let them dry completely. When dry mince them fine alone with 4 cloves of garlic. Slice potatoes turning the potato while you do to get all different shapes with odd angles. Cut the onion into thick slices and the green pepper into 1 inch pieces. Mince the ginger and the remaining garlic. Puree the broad bean paste until it is smooth (if you don't like alot of spice then pick out the pieces of chili before you do so). Drop meat into boiling water and boil for 2 minutes or until it turns white. Drain and reserve the stock. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil over high heat and add the potatoes constantly tossing until they are golden brown but not cooked through. Remove and set aside. Heat another 2 Tbsp. oil over low heat until bubbly. Add the sugar and stir until it has melted. Immediately add the chicken pieces or the lamb or beef ribs. Constantly stir until the meat gets a brownish red color (careful not to char) and add the prepared chili-garlic mixture, whole cumin and soy sauce and toss. Immediately after add 1 cup reserved stock along with star-anise, sichuan peppercorn, ginger, bay leaves and ground cumin. Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat and let it simmer. Stew for 30 minutes adding stock 1 cup at a time when ever the liquid gets reduced to half. After 30 minutes add, again, 1 cup stock with potatoes and simmer until potatoes are soft continually adding stock as the liquid reduces down. When the potatoes are soft add tomato paste and ketchup and stir in to combine. Lastly add the green chillies and onion and simmer until tender-crisp. Stir in 1 more cup stock and the black vinegar, simmer for 1 more minute and serve over naan bread. It is better to use day old naan or it gets soggy too fast. If you are using fresh naan then eat it immediately.

Tweet