Lamb Shapta

A Tibetan and Himalayan favourite — lamb fillet roasted until just pink, then sliced and tossed through a fiery shapta sauce of soy, chilli and Szechuan pepper with sweet peppers, spring onion and bok choi. Fast, fiery and deeply savoury, it is a brilliant change from the usual curry.

Why this works

• Roast, then slice — roasting the lamb fillet whole and slicing it keeps it blush-pink and tender, rather than overcooked in the wok.
• A quick shapta sauce — soy, chilli, Szechuan pepper and a little ketchup hit the pan already balanced between salty, sweet and hot.
• A fast, hot toss keeps the peppers, spring onion and bok choi fresh and crisp against the rich sauce.

Ingredient notes and swaps

• Lamb fillet — a lean, tender cut that roasts fast; two 200g fillets serve two, and loin works well too.
• Szechuan (Timur) pepper — its citrusy, tingling heat is what makes a shapta; black pepper and chilli flakes round it out.
• Soy sauce and ketchup — the savoury-sweet backbone of the sauce; a good tomato ketchup adds body and gentle sweetness.
• Peppers, spring onion and bok choi — cut into strips so they cook fast and stay crisp.
• Red chillies and ginger — adjust the chilli to your heat; the ginger goes in at the end to stay fragrant.

Lamb Shapta

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Fragrant with heady spices and exotic flavour, this dish combines the spicy, sweet and salty flavours that are synonymous with North East India and Tibet.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 2 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Calories: 610

Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

For the Lamb

• 2 x 200g lamb fillets

For the Shapta Sauce

• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 2 tbsp garlic chopped
• 1 tbsp red chilli flakes
• 100 ml soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp Szechuan pepper powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 200 ml light tomato sauce or ketchup
• 2 tbsp water

To Serve

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 4 red chillies slit open
• 6 spring onions sliced lengthways
• 1 red pepper cut into strips
• 1 yellow pepper cut into strips
• 1 medium bok choi cut into strips
• 1 knob ginger julienned

Method

 

1. Make the shapta sauce first. Heat the rapeseed oil over a medium heat, add the garlic and chilli flakes and saute. Add the soy sauce, Szechuan pepper powder, black pepper powder and sugar, followed by the tomato sauce or ketchup.
2. Add the water and simmer for 3-4 minutes, then remove from the heat.
3. Heat the oven to 180C (fan 160C). Cook the lamb fillets in the oven for 12 minutes, then remove to a tray lined with kitchen paper.
4. After 3-4 minutes, slice the lamb fillets ready for serving.
5. Heat the 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil in a wok and saute the garlic and whole red chillies.
6. Add the peppers and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the shapta sauce.
7. Add the spring onion greens and bok choi and saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the ginger strips.
8. Divide between serving plates and top with the sliced lamb fillet.

Nutrition

Calories: 610kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 45gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 12gSodium: 1900mgFiber: 3gSugar: 14g

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Tips for success

• Slice the lamb thinly against the grain so it stays tender.
• Get the pan or wok smoking hot before the lamb goes in.
• Cook in batches if needed so the meat sears rather than steams.
• Keep the vegetables crisp — a quick, fierce cook is the aim.

Make ahead, storage and reheating

• Best fresh — a stir-fry is a cook-and-eat dish.
• Get ahead — slice the lamb and prep the vegetables in advance.
• Storage — leftovers keep two days; reheat quickly in a hot pan.

What to serve it with

• Steamed rice, or Tibetan-style flatbread or noodles, to soak up the sauce.
• A crisp cucumber salad, or extra sliced red chilli for those who like more heat.

FAQ

What is shapta? A Tibetan and Himalayan dish of meat with peppers and chilli — punchy and quick.

Can I use beef instead? Yes — beef shapta is equally traditional; use a quick-cooking cut sliced thin.

How spicy is it? It is meant to have a green-chilli kick, but you control the heat with the number of chillies.

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