Sha Balep

Ingredients

• 8¾ ozWheat flourfor the dough
• ½ cupWaterlukewarm, added gradually to the dough
• 1 tbspVegetable oilworked into the dough
• Saltfor dough and filling
• 10½ ozGround beefnot too lean; traditionally yak
• 1Onionfinely chopped
• 2 clovesGarlicfinely minced
• 1 tbspGingerfinely minced
• ½ tspSichuan peppercrushed; Tibetan emma
• 2 tbspCilantrofinely chopped, stirred into the filling
• 1¾ ozSpinachfinely chopped; bok choy as alternative
• 2Spring onionthinly sliced (optional)
• ½ tspGaram masalafor the filling
• ½ tspCuminground (optional)
• 1 tbspSoy sauceseasons the filling (optional)
• Black pepperfreshly ground
• 2⅛ cupsFrying oilfor frying; less if shallow-frying

Method

1. Mix the wheat flour with salt and the vegetable oil, add the lukewarm water bit by bit and knead everything into a smooth dough that no longer sticks to your hands.
2. Cover the dough and let it rest — at least 15 minutes, up to 2 hours if you have the time; it rolls out far more easily afterwards.
3. For the filling, combine the ground beef with the finely chopped onion, garlic, ginger, cilantro, chopped spinach and, if you like, the spring onions. Season generously with Sichuan pepper, garam masala, salt and freshly ground black pepper, and optionally add cumin and soy sauce.
4. If you prefer, cook the filling briefly in a pan and let it cool completely before it goes into the dough.
5. Roll the dough out thinly on a floured surface and cut out circles of about 8 to 12 cm; knead the scraps together and roll them again.
6. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling in the middle of each circle, then fold the dough over into a half-moon or cover it with a second circle.
7. Press the edges together firmly, pushing out any trapped air, and either fold them over or crimp them with a fork so nothing escapes during frying.
8. Heat the neutral oil and fry the pockets over medium heat on both sides until golden brown and the filling is cooked through.
9. Drain on paper towels and serve hot, with the spicy dipping sauce sepen alongside.

Tips and variations

The filling can go in raw and cook through as the pockets fry — that saves a step and keeps the meat juicy. You have the choice between deep-frying them floating in plenty of oil or shallow-frying them flat in a little oil in the pan. Instead of water, you can work cold, garlic-infused chicken stock into the dough, and instead of the folded half-moon you can lay two circles of dough on top of each other and seal them at the rim. For the leafy greens, bok choy does the job just as well as spinach. Best straight from the pan to the table, with a bowl of sepen in the middle.