Slow Cooked Sticky Asian Lamb

Cooked for 6 hours in the slow cooker this aromatic, melt-in-your-mouth, gooey, moist, extra large platter of pure asian delight had us all dribbling.  A really easy, simple dish that you can whack on in the morning yet look like you have been slaving for hours......I'm Lovin' It!!

Serves 6-8

You will need:

2kg leg of lamb, on the bone
1tbs of peanut oil
1/2 a cup of kecap manis (indonesian sweet soy)
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup of brown sugar
3 star anise
2 stalks fresh lemon grass, beaten and bruised
8 cm piece of ginger, roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 large red chilli, roughly chopped
6 green onions, sliced diagonally
1 tbs of toasted sesame seeds
250gm pack of flat rice stick noodles
1 tsp sesame oil (for the noodles)

Steamed asian greens to serve

Heat a large, heavy based pan until quite hot, add the peanut oil and sear the leg of lamb as best you can on all sides.  Pop the lamb into the slow cooker.  You could do this dish in the oven if you wish but you will need a good casserole dish with a lid.

In a bowl whisk together the kecap manis, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar and sesame oil.  Pour over the lamb and add the garlic, ginger, chilli,  lemongrass and star anise.  Give everything a good stir, pop the lid on, turn the cooker on to high and don't even think about it for at least two hours.  Lift the lid, turn the lamb over and baste with the sauce whenever you think of it but don't be too precious.

After about 6 hours, remove the lamb from the cooker and cover with foil to keep warm.  Strain the liquid from the cooker into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Reduce the liquid by about half until it is nice and sticky and syrupy.

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions.  Drain the noodles and toss with a teaspoon of sesame oil (to prevent sticking) and pop them  on a large platter.  With a couple of forks, gently pull the lamb apart and arrange over the noodles.  Discard the bones but make sure you have a secret little gnaw.  Scatter over the sliced green onions and drizzle over the syrupy sauce.  Finally scatter over the toasted sesame seeds and serve in the middle of the table with a platter of steamed greens.

Ps:  If cooking in the oven, cook for approx 3 hours on 170 degrees or until the lamb pulls apart easily with a couple of forks.