ZATAR NAAN

Shapta is a Tibetan beef stir-fry dish typically made with thinly sliced beef sirloin and flavored with various spices and sauces. This version often includes the unique flavor of toasted Tibetan peppercorns and is served alongside steamed buns called Tingmo, offering a contrast of textures. Here's how to make it at home.

SHAPTA

Drakes 1500 Pale Ale, Drakes (Oakland)

Profuse Hazy, 10 Barrel (Bend, Oregon)

Trumer Pilsner, Trumer (Berkeley) 6

Animal IPA, Fort Point (San Francisco)

Mighty Dry Cider, Golden State (Petaluma)

Azienda Agricola Denny Bini Spuma! Vino Frizzante, Italy

Lambrusco Dell Emilia, Italy

Zinfandel, Edmeades, Mendocino CA-2015

Kendall Jackson Vintner's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon CA

Syrah, Domaine des Aspras, Provence, France-2016 (organic)

MAAL Biutful Malbec, Mendoza AR

Gran Moraine Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton OR 72

Copain Tous Ensemble Pinot Noir, Sonoma CA

Hartford Court Chardonnay, Russian River CA 68 668 red

La Crema Chardonnay, Sonoma CA

Galerie Naissance Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley CA

Grenache/Cinsault/Syrah Rosé, Fabre en Provence, Provence, France

Côt/Cab Franc/Grolleau, Rosé Brut, Touraine, France NV (organic)

Glera, Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Giavi, Conegliano, Italy NV

Homemade Mango Lassi

Homemade Mint and Ginger Cooler

Homemade Iced Chai

In a small bowl, combine warm water (about 110-115°F / 43-46°C) with granulated sugar. Sprinkle active dry yeast over the surface and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.

Activate yeast

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and kosher salt until evenly distributed.

Combine dry ingredients

To the flour, add plain yogurt and olive oil. Pour in the foamy yeast mixture and stir until a shaggy dough forms.

Mix wet ingredients with yeast

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. If sticky, dust with small amounts of flour as needed.

Knead dough

Oil a clean bowl, place the dough inside, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes.

First rise

Melt the unsalted butter and mix in the minced garlic. This garlic butter will be brushed on the naan before baking.

Prepare garlic butter

Punch down the risen dough and divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and let rest for 5 minutes.

Divide and rest

Roll each ball into an oval about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) thick. Brush lightly with garlic butter, then sprinkle a mixture of za'atar spice blend and sesame seeds on top.

Shape and top

Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) with a baking stone or inverted baking sheet inside. Bake the naan in batches for 4-6 minutes until puffed and blistered. Remove and brush with any remaining garlic butter; drizzle with a little olive oil if desired.

Bake

Serve warm, optionally brushing with a final touch of olive oil for extra shine and softness.

Serve

All-purpose flour

Warm water

Plain yogurt

Active dry yeast

Granulated sugar

Kosher salt

Olive oil

Garlic

Unsalted butter

Zaatar spice blend

Sesame seeds

Shapta is a traditional stir fry dish that originated in Tibet. It includes red onion, garlic, Tibetan peppercorn, and chili. Served with a side of Tingmo (steamed bun), this dish brings back memories of my favorite Tibetan restaurant 'Yang Ling' in Kathmandu.

Toast Tibetan peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, then crush coarsely in a mortar and pestle.

Toast peppercorns

Thinly slice the beef sirloin against the grain and set aside.

Prepare beef

Slice the red onion and mince the garlic; set aside for quick access.

Prep aromatics

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat. Add half the beef slices and sear quickly until browned. Remove and set aside.

Sear beef

In the same wok, add the remaining oil, then add onion and garlic. Stir-fry until the onion is translucent and aromatic.

Cook onions and garlic

Add the crushed Tibetan peppercorns and red chilies; stir-fry for about 30 seconds to release aroma.

Flavor base with pepper and chili

Return the browned beef to the wok. Add soy sauce and oyster sauce; toss until the meat is well coated.

Combine beef with sauces

Pour in beef broth and sprinkle sugar; simmer briefly so the sauce reduces slightly and glazes the beef.

Add broth and sweetness

Taste and adjust with a touch more soy if desired; cook a few more seconds until beef is tender and glossy.

Adjust and finish

Remove from heat and drizzle sesame oil over the shapta; toss to combine.

Finish with sesame

Steam Tingmo buns in a steamer until puffed and tender, about 8-12 minutes.

Prepare Tingmo

Plate the shapta and arrange Tingmo buns on the side. Garnish with extra peppercorns or sliced chilies if desired.

Beef sirloin, thinly sliced

Red onion, thinly sliced

Garlic cloves, minced

Tibetan peppercorns, toasted and crushed

Red chilies, thinly sliced

Vegetable oil

Soy sauce

Oyster sauce

Beef broth

Sugar

Sesame oil

Tingmo steamed buns

Sanitize all brewing equipment (fermenter, airlock, kettle, spoons, and bottles/kegs). Gather and verify all ingredients: Pale Malt, Crystal Malt, water, Whirlfloc, US-05 yeast, hops, dry hops, and priming sugar.

Mash: Heat strike water to around 152-156°F (67-69°C). Mash in the crushed Pale Malt (10.5 lb) with Crystal Malt (0.75 lb) in 6.5 gallons of water. Hold the mash for 60 minutes to convert starches into sugars.

Mash out and sparge: Raise temperature to ~170°F (77°C) for mash-out. Sparge to collect roughly 6.0-6.5 gallons of wort pre-boil.

Boil and hop schedule (60 minutes total): Start the boil and add 1.0 oz Cascade for bitterness at 60 minutes. At 30 minutes, add 0.5 oz Centennial for aroma and complexity. At 15 minutes, add 0.75 oz Cascade for late aroma. At flameout (0 minutes), add 0.5 oz Amarillo for additional aroma in the last moments of the boil. Add 1 Whirlfloc tablet at 15 minutes for clarity.

Cool the wort rapidly to 68°F-70°F (20-21°C) using a wort chiller or ice bath. Transfer to a sanitized fermenter.

Fermentation: Pitch 1 packet of US-05 yeast. Maintain an ambient temperature around 66-70°F (19-21°C) for 7-10 days, or until complete attenuation. Monitor gravity to ensure fermentation is complete.

Dry hopping: After about 5-7 days of primary fermentation, add 1.0 oz Cascade and 0.5 oz Amarillo to the fermenter. Allow 3-5 days for aroma extraction. Avoid oxygen exposure during addition.

Package and carbonate: After fermentation is complete, package into bottles or kegs. Prime with 3.5 oz corn sugar for the desired carbonation (roughly 2.5 volumes). Bottle and condition for about 1-2 weeks at room temperature, then refrigerate.

Serve: Chill and pour carefully to avoid excess yeast, and enjoy a Drakes-inspired 1500 Pale Ale with a balanced malt profile and hop-forward aroma.

Pale Malt (2-row)

Crystal Malt 40L

Water for Mash

Whirlfloc Tablet

US-05 American Ale Yeast

Cascade Hop Pellets

Centennial Hop Pellets

Cascade Hop Pellets (late addition)

Amarillo Hop Pellets (late addition)

Dry Hop Cascade

Dry Hop Amarillo

Priming Sugar (Corn Sugar)

Heat strike water to about 165°F. Add milled grains (pale malt, wheat, Munich, crystal, oats) to the mash tun and hold at 152°F for 60 minutes to convert starches to fermentable sugars.

Prepare mash

Sparge to collect approximately 6.5 gallons of wort, ensuring gravity targets are met for a five-gallon post-boil volume.

Sparge & collect wort

Bring wort to a boil. Add 0.75 oz Simcoe at the start of the 60-minute boil. With 15 minutes remaining, add 1.0 oz Mosaic and the Whirlfloc tablet. At flameout, add 1.0 oz Citra.

Boil & hop schedule

Rapidly chill the wort to 66–68°F and aerate well prior to pitching yeast.

Cool & aerate

Transfer to fermenter, pitch London Ale III yeast and hold at 66–68°F until fermentation completes (approximately 7–14 days).

Ferment

After active fermentation has begun (roughly day 4–5), add 2.0 oz Citra, 2.0 oz Mosaic, and 2.0 oz Amarillo to the fermenter. Stir gently to distribute hops and minimize oxygen exposure.

Dry hop

Once desired attenuation and aroma are achieved, rack to keg or bottle, carbonate to about 2.5 volumes, and allow cold conditioning for 1–2 weeks.

Packaging

Water

Pale malt (2-row)

Wheat malt

Flaked oats

Crystal malt (40 L)

Munich malt

Simcoe (bittering)

Mosaic (late boil)

Citra (aroma, flameout)

Citra (dry hop)

Mosaic (dry hop)

Amarillo (dry hop)

London Ale III yeast

Whirlfloc tablet

In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt (for slaw), and pepper until smooth. Stir in the chopped dill. Add shredded green cabbage and carrots, toss to coat. Refrigerate 15 minutes to let flavors meld.

Make the slaw

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt (for batter), black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Gradually whisk in Trumer Pilsner until you have a smooth, slightly thick batter. Whisk in the egg until fully incorporated. Let batter rest 10 minutes.

Prepare the beer batter

Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Prep the fish

Pour the frying oil into a deep skillet or Dutch oven and heat to 350-375°F (175-190°C). Ensure there is enough oil for frying in batches without crowding the pan.

Heat the oil

Dip each fish fillet into the beer batter, letting excess drip off. Fry in batches until golden and crisp, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove to a rack or paper towels to drain.

Fry the fish

Arrange the fried fish on plates or tortillas, top with a generous spoonful of lemon dill slaw, add a lemon wedge on the side, and serve immediately.

Trumer Pilsner

Cornstarch

Large egg

Salt (for batter)

Black pepper

Garlic powder

Paprika

White fish fillets (cod or halibut)

Neutral oil for frying

Lemon wedges

Green cabbage, shredded

Carrots, shredded

Mayonnaise

Apple cider vinegar

Salt (for slaw)

Fresh dill, chopped

In a small saucepan, combine the Fort Point Animal IPA, honey, and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until reduced by about half and slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Make the IPA glaze

In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, salt, and pepper to form a fragrant marinade.

Prepare the marinade

Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Rub the marinade over all sides of the salmon, then let rest for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.

Marinate the salmon

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of olive oil. Sear the salmon fillets, skin-side down if present, for 2-3 minutes until a crust forms. Flip and sear the other side for another 2-3 minutes.

Sear the salmon

Brush the IPA glaze over the salmon fillets and transfer the skillet to a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven, or continue cooking in the pan until the internal temperature reaches 125-130°F (52-54°C), about 6-8 minutes more.

Finish with glaze

Remove from heat and let the salmon rest for 3-5 minutes. If using, sprinkle chopped dill over the top before serving.

Rest and garnish

Salmon fillets

Fort Point Animal IPA

Gar garlic, minced

Fresh ginger, grated

Lemon juice

Honey

Salt

Fresh dill, chopped (optional)

Sanitize all equipment including the primary fermenter, airlock, hydrometer, siphon, and bottles to prevent contamination.

In a clean bowl, measure 100 ml of warm water (approximately 95–105°F / 35–40°C) for rehydrating the dry cider yeast.

Pour the 19,000 ml of apple juice into the sanitized primary fermenter.

Dissolve 1 teaspoon of yeast nutrient into the 100 ml warm water and whisk briefly; pour the nutrient solution into the fermenter with the apple juice.

Rehydrate the dry cider yeast in the same 100 ml warm water for 15 minutes, then gently swirl to suspend.

Pitch the rehydrated yeast into the fermenter; give the must a gentle stir to aerate and distribute yeast.

Seal the fermenter with an airlock and place in a controlled environment at 60–72°F (15–22°C).

Allow fermentation to proceed for 7–14 days, monitoring gravity daily with a hydrometer until SG stabilizes.

Once gravity is stable over 3 consecutive days, rack cider to a clean vessel to clarify (optional secondary fermentation).

If bottling immediately, ensure cider has reached desired dryness; otherwise continue conditioning in secondary for an additional 7–14 days before bottling.

Zatar Naan

Shapta

Drakes 1500 Pale Ale, Drakes (oakland)

Profuse Hazy, 10 Barrel (bend, Oregon)

Trumer Pilsner, Trumer (berkeley) 6

Animal Ipa, Fort Point (san Francisco)

Mighty Dry Cider, Golden State (petaluma)

Azienda Agricola Denny Bini Spuma! Vino Frizzante, Italy

Lambrusco Dell Emilia, Italy

Zinfandel, Edmeades, Mendocino Ca-2015

Kendall Jackson Vintner's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Ca

Syrah, Domaine Des Aspras, Provence, France-2016 (organic)

Maal Biutful Malbec, Mendoza Ar

Gran Moraine Pinot Noir, Yamhill-carlton Or 72

Copain Tous Ensemble Pinot Noir, Sonoma Ca

Hartford Court Chardonnay, Russian River Ca 68 668 Red

La Crema Chardonnay, Sonoma Ca

Galerie Naissance Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley Ca

Grenache/cinsault/syrah Rosé, Fabre En Provence, Provence, France

Côt/cab Franc/grolleau, Rosé Brut, Touraine, France Nv (organic)

Glera, Prosecco Superiore Docg, Giavi, Conegliano, Italy Nv

Homemade Mango Lassi

Homemade Mint And Ginger Cooler

Homemade Iced Chai