This recipe may at first glance seem a little laborious and time-consuming, and if you do it the slow way this is true. However, if you’re short of time the ‘dry rub/marinade’ part of the recipe can be skipped, and you will still end up with a perfectly good dish. But once you have that bit done, it is simply a matter of letting the lamb shanks cook for three or four hours in the oven, and the result is so worth it! Tender lamb which flakes off the bone with a fork, alongside the earthy, fragrant methi and the equally earthy but fresher spinach, vibrant with aromatic spice. It may seem like a lot of spice is involved, especially in the dry rub, but don’t be scared. The Karachi curry blend we recommend for this recipe is pretty fiery, so if you prefer a milder dish substitute this for our Rogan Josh blend. Also we recommend using frozen spinach; a) because it really works well here and b) because it is a lot less work than fresh! This is a dish that can be made a day or two in advance of enjoying it, and it will be all the better for it.
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 180 minutes
01.
Ingredients
2 Lamb Shanks
For the Dry Rub (Optional)
4tsp Ground Coriander
4tsp Ground Cumin
4tsp Paprika
2tsp Turmeric
1tsp Chilli Powder
For the Curry
1 large Onion, halved and finely sliced
2tbs Garlic/Ginger puree
4 Tomatoes, chopped
4 Green Finger Chillies, sliced
4tbs Methi Leaf
1tbs Tomato Puree
4/5tsp Karachi Curry blend
2tsp Garam Masala
400g Frozen Spinach
02.
Method
Combine the spices for the dry rub and rub well into each lamb shank, then leave to marinate for at least 3 hours (it does no harm to let the shanks marinate overnight).
Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a heavy casserole dish, then brown and seal the lamb shanks. Remove from the pan, and in the same oil fry the onion and the garlic/ginger paste for 20 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and chillies and keep on frying for another 10 minutes or so.
Add the methi leaf and Karachi blend, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree and mix well before returning the lamb shanks to the pan. Now add enough water to just cover the lamb shanks, and cook on top of the stove for 15 minutes.
Heat your oven to 140C, cover the pot and place in the oven. Let the dish look after itself in the oven for 90 minutes.
Now lift the dish from the oven and add the spinach and the garam masala. You may need to add a little more water, but if you are using frozen spinach bear in mind that it has a lot of water in it. Give everything a good stir, and return the dish to the oven for another 90 minutes.
By now you should be able to break the meat from the shanks with a fork, meaning your dish is ready. Serve with pilau rice and/or Indian bread such as roti or chapatti, along with a side dish such as Bombay Potato.
