- 250g/9oz hot pepper paste or gochugang (Korean chilli bean paste; available from Asian supermarkets)
- 75ml/3fl oz sake
- 25ml/1fl oz soy sauce
- 75ml/3fl oz mirin (available from Asian supermarkets)
- pinch dried chilli
- 40g/1½oz garlic paste (available from Asian supermarkets), or four garlic cloves, pounded to a paste
- 40g/1½oz ginger paste (available from Asian supermarkets), or thumb-sized piece of ginger, pounded to a paste
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 4 x 4 bone lamb racks, French cut (ask your butcher to prepare this for you)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 60g/2½oz sesame paste or tahini
- 10g/½oz sweet white miso (available from Asian supermarkets and health food shops)
- 1 tsp ginger juice (grate the ginger and squeeze to collect the juice)
- 3 tbsp dashi stock (dried sachets of dashi are available from Asian supermarkets, add the appropriate amount of water, following packet instructions)
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1½ tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 500g/1lb2oz spinach leaves
- 1 tsp chopped yama gobo/Japanese burdock root (available from Asian supermarkets)
- For the lamb, place the hot pepper paste, sake, soy, mirin, dried chilli, garlic, ginger and toasted sesame oil into a bowl and whisk together to form a smooth paste.
- Wrap the lamb bones in small pieces of tin foil and pinch tight to prevent them burning.
- Lightly brush the lamb racks with half of the hot pepper marinade (reserving the rest for later) and place the lamb onto a tray. Transfer to the fridge to marinate overnight, preferably for 24 hours. Allow to return to room temperature before cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/365F/Gas 4.
- Heat a large ovenproof frying pan until hot and add the olive oil and marinated lamb. Cook on each side until golden-brown all over, then brush all over with some more of the marinade (reserve a little marinade for serving).
- Transfer to the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the oven and leave to rest in a warm place for five minutes.
- For the sesame spinach, place the sesame seeds, sesame paste, sweet white miso, ginger juice, dashi stock, rice vinegar, lemon juice and sesame oil into a bowl and whisk together to combine.
- Heat a frying pan until hot, then add the spinach and cook until just wilted.
- Add the yama gobo and the sesame dressing mixture and mix to combine.
- To serve, spoon the sesame spinach into the centre of each plate in a neat pile. Slice the lamb rack into chops and place four onto each plate, arranged over the spinach. Add a little of the remaining marinade to each plate and serve.