Imperial-Style Fried Lamb with Bean Paste

This is a dish reputed to have been named by the Empress Dowager Cixi. She was a very corrupt figure who ushered in the end of the Qing Dynasty, and the end of the dynastic system—but she threw great dinner parties. This dish created by her court chefs features shredded lamb coated with crispy fried batter and sautéed with sugar and soy. To add some colour to the dish, the lamb is served on a bed of fruit and topped with light-as-air sugar threads that slowly melt in your mouth.