Slow Cooked Indian Lamb Shanks (Printable version)

Tender lamb shanks braised in aromatic spices, slow-cooked until falling off the bone with a rich, flavorful curry sauce.

# What you'll need:

→ Meat

01 - 4 lamb shanks (approximately 12 ounces each)
02 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Aromatics

03 - 2 large onions, finely sliced
04 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

→ Spices

06 - 1 tablespoon ground coriander
07 - 1 tablespoon ground cumin
08 - 2 teaspoons garam masala
09 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
10 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
11 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 - 2 bay leaves
13 - 4 whole cloves
14 - 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
15 - 1 cinnamon stick

→ Liquids & Base

16 - 14.5 ounces canned chopped tomatoes
17 - 1 ⅔ cups lamb or beef stock
18 - ⅓ cup plain yogurt

→ Vegetables

19 - 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
20 - 1 green chili, sliced (optional)

→ Garnish

21 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
22 - Lemon wedges

# Directions:

01 - Pat the lamb shanks thoroughly dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-based pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb shanks on all sides until deeply browned, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from pot and set aside.
03 - Add the sliced onions to the same pot and sauté until golden brown and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
04 - Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
05 - Add all ground spices (coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, black pepper) and whole spices (bay leaves, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick). Toast for 1 minute, stirring constantly to release their aromatic oils.
06 - Add the canned chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, allowing them to break down and release their juices, creating a thick base.
07 - Return the seared lamb shanks to the pot. Pour in the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to low, and cook for 2.5 hours, turning the shanks occasionally.
08 - Stir in the yogurt, fresh chopped tomatoes, and green chili. Simmer uncovered for 45-60 minutes until the lamb is fork-tender and falling off the bone, and the sauce has thickened to desired consistency.
09 - Skim any excess fat from the surface. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro and serve with lemon wedges alongside steamed basmati rice or naan.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The meat literally falls off the bone when you look at it wrong
  • Your kitchen will smell incredible for hours, which is basically a free air freshener
  • This looks fancy enough for dinner parties but is actually mostly hands-off cooking time
02 -
  • Dont rush the onion stage. That ten minutes feels like forever but its where all the deep sweet flavor comes from.
  • The yogurt will look curdled when you first stir it in. This is normal. Keep cooking and it will smooth out into the sauce.
  • If your sauce is too thin at the end, just cook it a bit longer with the lid off. It reduces beautifully.
03 -
  • If you have a slow cooker, you can do the initial searing and onion work in a pan, then transfer everything to the slow cooker for 6-7 hours on low.
  • The dish freezes exceptionally well. Make a double batch and portion half for a future emergency dinner.

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