Tibetan Fried Meat Pie (Shapale)
Shapale (also spelled Sha-Phaley or Shabaley) is a traditional Tibetan Meat Pie. Its name is derived from the Tibetan words “Sha” (meat) and “Phale” (bread). It has become a highly popular street food in Nepal, particularly in the Kathmandu Valley.
It consists of a dough pastry stuffed with seasoned minced meat, typically beef, pork, chicken, or lamb, and sometimes mixed with cabbage and onions.
> 60min
Normal
Mildly Spicy
Ingredients
For how many people?
2 shapale per person
For the dough
Ingredient 1
Ingredient 2
Ingredient 3
For the fillings
Ingredient 4
Ingredient 5
Ingredient 6
Ingredient 7
Ingredient 8
Ingredient 9
Ingredient 10
Ingredient 11
Ingredient 12
Ingredient 13
Ingredient 14
Ingredient 15
Other ingredient
Ingredient 16
Directions
Preparing the dough
Soften the ghee (or butter) until it is creamy.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, ghee and water to form a ball.
Knead the dough thoroughly for 5 minutes until it is smooth and flexible.
Cover the dough with a cloth or cling film and let it rest for at least 2 hours.
Preparing the filling
Finely chop the cabbage, the green onions stalks, the onions and the coriander leaves.
Mix together in a bowl the minced meat (pork, chicken, buff or lamb), the onions, the garlic paste, the ginger paste, the cabbage, the salt, the black pepper, the timur powder (or Sichuan pepper) , the soy sauce, the green onions and the coriander leaves.
Heat the sunflower oil in a pan. When hot, add the contents of the bowl and cook until all the liquid has evaporated and the meat is cooked through. Stir regularly.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Assembling the Shapale
Divide the dough into 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 equal portions depending on the number of people. Form each portion into a ball and flatten it with your hand.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin to a thickness of about 1/8 inch and into a circle 4 to 5 inches in diameter.
Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling on half of the dough, leaving space at the edges to seal.
Moisten the edges with water and fold the other half over the filling. Pinch the edges firmly to flatten them. This is important to prevent the juices from leaking out.
Place the finished shape on a lightly oiled plate or flat surface to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface.
Deep frying
Heat the sunflower oil in a pan until it is very hot.
Fry the shapale over medium heat. Let them cook until golden brown on both sides, turning them frequently.
Other similar meals
Can be consumed with…
