Name: Sha Balep (Tibetan Pasties)
Yield: Makes 10
Cuisine: Tibetan
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons cooking oil; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1½ teaspoon crushed Sichuan peppercorns (yerma); 1 small red onion, finely chopped; 1½ teaspoon ground coriander; 50 g (1¾ oz) spinach, washed and finely chopped; 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped; 450 g (3 cups) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting; Cooking oil, for deep-frying; 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) beef, ideally 15–20% fat content; 1 tablespoon cooking oil

Preparation info

Makes
10

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Taste Tibet

By Julie Kleeman and Yeshi Jampa

Published 2022

About

Sha balep (literally, ‘meat breads’) are widely and wildly loved by Tibetans. Vegans, do not look away now! You can make a vegan version using the tofu, Chinese cabbage and mushroom filling. Potatoes are another good fit, but have a go with any veggies you enjoy and have to hand.

There’s a saying in Tibetan, ‘If you mess up, I’ll give you a sha balep’, which means that if you step out of line, you’ll get a slap. The Tibetan rappe