These slow cooked lamb shanks in a spicy masala gravy from chef Hari Ghotra will certainly impress your friends on curry night. The recipe works well with goat too.
Hari’s way of simplifying Indian cookery is a gift that everyone can enjoy, no matter how basic your cooking skills.
Her web site is full of authentic, restaurant quality recipes plus a few novel fusion dishes that bring Indian, British and even Chinese flavours together perfectly.
LAMB SHANK MASALA
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
4 tbsp of vegetable oil
5 cm stick of cassia (cinnamon) bark
4 cardamom pods
6 cloves
3 onions, peeled and finely sliced
4 lamb shanks
4 cm piece of ginger
5 garlic cloves
3 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed
4 tbsp of plain Greek yogurt
4 tomatoes, chopped
½ tbsp of garam masala, powder
handful of coriander, leaves
salt to taste
METHOD:
Make sure you have a large enough sauce pan to fit in all your lamb shanks.
Heat the oil, add the lamb shanks and, on a high heat, brown the meat on all over. Remove the shanks from the pan and set to one side. You may need to do this in batches.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the cassia, cardamom, and cloves to the pan and sauté for about a minute until the spices become fragrant.
Add the sliced onions and cook over a medium heat, until they are golden brown.
Crush the ginger and garlic in a pestle and mortar and add to the pan along with the green chillies.
Stir well for a couple of minutes and then add the turmeric, chilli, cumin and coriander powders and salt.
Add the chopped tomatoes and stir. Leave to simmer for 5-10 minutes to create a thick masala paste.
Stir in the yogurt a little at a time, until it has all melted into the sauce.
Return the shanks to the pan and coat with the masala sauce. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 30 minutes. Check from time to time to make sure it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan, adding a splash or two of water if needed.
Add enough hot water to cover the meat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and leave the meat to cook until the lamb is tender and coming away from the bone, approximately 3 hours.
Check the seasoning and adjust if required. Sprinkle with garam masala and some chopped coriander leaves and serve.
