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Easy Braised Lamb Shanks

Lamb shanks braised in a rich tomato sauce

Course Main Course
Cuisine Lebanese, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Keyword Crowd pleaser, Dinner Party, Slow cooking
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 8
Author Zaatar and Zaytoun

Ingredients

  • 2 kg lamb shanks approx 6 lamb shanks

Spices

  • 1 teaspoon 7 spice
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon sumac
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • salt to taste

Other ingredients

  • 3 onions sliced into ribbons
  • 1 teaspoon ginger finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons ground cashews
  • 2 cups tomato sauce or passata
  • mild olive oil or vegetable oil
  • toasted nuts cashews, pistachios, flaked almonds

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, add the lamb shanks, spices, 1 teaspoon of salt, a good drizzle of mild olive oil, lemon juice. Cover and marinade for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight
  2. When you are ready to cook take out the lamb shanks from the fridge and bring to room temperature (around an hour)

  3. In a wide casserole dish, add a drizzle of vegetable oil on medium high heat and sauté the sliced onions until golden on medium heat for at least 15 minutes

  4. Then add the lamb shanks and sear the outsides until browned

  5. Add the cinnamon stick, garlic, ginger, ground cashews and tomato sauce (or passata) and another teaspoon of salt

  6. Simmer on low heat for around 2 hours, turning the lamb shanks every fifteen minutes or so

  7. Taste the sauce to adjust the salt level and serve with rice and garnish with toasted nuts.

Recipe Notes

Instead of the tomato sauce you can use 3 chopped tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of tomato concentrate.