Rou jia mo, Shaanxi Chinese burger

Put the beef in a pot with enough water to immerse it, lid partially on, and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the beef and discard the blanching water.

In a new clean pot, stir the oil and sugar over medium low heat for a few minutes to caramelize, until the sugar browns and produces foamy bubbles.

Add the water behind a lid, as the hot caramel splashes, and bring to a boil. The liquid turns amber.

Add the blanched beef, the soy sauce and salt, the ginger, garlic and scallions, the cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, black peppercorn, Sichuan peppercorn and licorice root.

Simmer over low heat for 2 hours, or until tender.

Pour the lukewarm water over the yeast from a height and wait five minutes for active dry yeast to wake up.

Wrap the baking soda in tin foil and heat it in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat a few minutes, then unwrap and cool.

Stir the soda ash into the yeast water to dissolve, then add the flour and mix roughly with a rubber spatula.

Knead with the hook attachment on low for 8 minutes until smooth and non-sticky, adjusting with flour or water.

Cover and rest 30 minutes. It will not double, because bai ji mo is half leavened and the buns should stay firm.

Divide the dough into 6 even pieces. Roll each into a long strip, flatten it into a ribbon with a rolling pin, roll the ribbon up from one side and tuck the end under.

Flatten each piece by hand and roll it to a quarter inch thick round about 3.5 inches across.

Preheat a heavy duty frying pan a minute, rub a tiny bit of oil over it and add the buns, two or three at a time, rotating for even colour. Lid on for the first side so the steam cooks them faster, lid off when you flip so they stay crisp. About 2 to 3 minutes per side until slightly golden.

Take the tender beef out and chop it finely on a cutting board, spooning braising liquid into it in batches as you cut, until it can absorb no more.

Slice a bun open but stop in the middle, then wiggle the knife tip inside to make a pocket.

Overfill the pocket with the braised beef and add another spoonful of braising brine so the bread soaks it up and softens.

Sprinkle diced scallions or cilantro or drizzle chili sauce if you like.