Masala Lamb Shanks
SERVES
8
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
50
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
120
MINUTES
CUISINE
COURSE
Main
Method
Put the lamb shanks into a 27 - 29cm (11 - 11.5 inch)/4.1 - 4.7 litre (7 - 8 pint approx.) casserole and add the turmeric, ginger, garlic and some salt. Pour in enough water to cover (approx. 2.4 litres/4 pints) and bring slowly to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for 2 hours or until the meat is tender.
Meanwhile, grind the ingredients for the masala paste in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar, and set aside until needed.
Once the lamb shanks are cooked, remove them carefully from the pan and keep warm. Pour all of the cooking liquid into a separate pan and set aside. Return the casserole to a low heat with the extra virgin olive oil. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and stir-fry for 1 - 2 minutes. Add the onions and fry for 5 - 6 minutes until they start to soften. Add the chopped tomatoes and honey and cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the ground cumin and coriander, add the green chillies and cook for 3 minutes. Finally stir in the masala paste and coconut milk and bring slowly to the boil. Taste and add salt, if necessary.
Return the cooked lamb shanks to the pan and pour in enough of the cooking liquid to come halfway up the shanks. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 10 minutes, turning the shanks several times during the cooking time.
Add the potatoes to the pan, replace the lid and cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked and the lamb is almost falling off the bone. Season to taste.
To make the mint yogurt, stir the chopped mint into the yogurt and season to taste with salt and honey.
Sprinkle the casserole with lots of fresh coriander and serve with the mint yogurt.
Ingredients
8 lamb shanks, weighing approx. 1.2kg (2 3/4lbs) in total
1 tbsp ground turmeric
3cm (1 1/4 inch) piece of fresh ginger, grated
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
5 cloves
6 cardamom pods, bashed
450g (1lb) onions, sliced
1 x 400g (14oz) tin of chopped tomatoes
1–2 tsp honey
2 tsp ground cumin
3 tsp ground coriander
2 - 3 green chillies, halved
1 x 400ml (14fl oz) tin of coconut milk
8 large potatoes, peeled and halved
sea salt
lots of fresh coriander sprigs, to serve
Masala Paste
25g (1oz) desiccated coconut
1 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
2 - 3 red chillies, finely chopped
Mint Yoghurt
4 tbspchopped mint
300ml (10fl oz) natural yoghurt
sea salt and a little honey, to taste
Method
Put the lamb shanks into a 27 - 29cm (11 - 11.5 inch)/4.1 - 4.7 litre (7 - 8 pint approx.) casserole and add the turmeric, ginger, garlic and some salt. Pour in enough water to cover (approx. 2.4 litres/4 pints) and bring slowly to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for 2 hours or until the meat is tender.
Meanwhile, grind the ingredients for the masala paste in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar, and set aside until needed.
Once the lamb shanks are cooked, remove them carefully from the pan and keep warm. Pour all of the cooking liquid into a separate pan and set aside. Return the casserole to a low heat with the extra virgin olive oil. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and stir-fry for 1 - 2 minutes. Add the onions and fry for 5 - 6 minutes until they start to soften. Add the chopped tomatoes and honey and cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the ground cumin and coriander, add the green chillies and cook for 3 minutes. Finally stir in the masala paste and coconut milk and bring slowly to the boil. Taste and add salt, if necessary.
Return the cooked lamb shanks to the pan and pour in enough of the cooking liquid to come halfway up the shanks. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 10 minutes, turning the shanks several times during the cooking time.
Add the potatoes to the pan, replace the lid and cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fully cooked and the lamb is almost falling off the bone. Season to taste.
To make the mint yogurt, stir the chopped mint into the yogurt and season to taste with salt and honey.
Sprinkle the casserole with lots of fresh coriander and serve with the mint yogurt.
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