This perfectly moist lamb shanks cooked in a tangy warm yoghurt sauce seasoned with middle eastern spices and herbs is just what you need this winter!
Servings 4servings
Prep Time 15 minutesmins
Cook Time 45 minutesmins
Equipment
smart pot
Ingredients
500glamb shanks with bones
3cupswater
1big onion roughly chopped
Broth aromas1 cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves, 4 cardamon pods, 3 whole cloves, ½ tsp whole black pepper
2tspoil
3onions sliced
½tsp7 spices
4cupsyoghurtlaban
4tbspcornflour mixed with 4 tbsp water
2tspsalt
2tbspfresh corianderfinely chopped
1tbspdry mint
4garlic clovesminced
Instructions
First we start with the lamb shanks broth :
In instant pot, set program to sautee and heat some oil . when the oil is hot enough add the roughly chopped onion and sautee until golden. Scrap aside the onion and start adding the lamb shanks and brown the meat on all sides, 3-4 minutes per side. Meat will not be cooked through. do not over crowd the pan cook them in batches. Once all the pieces are cooked through add them all back to the pan. Add
The broth aromas and cover everything with water, you may need more than 3 cups depending on your lamb pieces. Close the pot. Cancel the saute program and set to manual-high pressure for 30 minutes.
While the lamb are cooking time to prepare the other ingredients. In a deep pot add some oil and add the sliced onions with the 7 spices and cook through till carmelized. Remove from pan and set aside add some extra oil if needed and add the garlic with dry mint and coriander and cook through till you smeel the garlic just for a minute . remove form the pan and set aside.
Turn off the heat on the pan. In a deep mixing bowl add the yoghurt with salt and mix together. Add the cornflour mixed with water and mix well until the mixture is smooth. After you mixed everything on cold. Set aside waiting for the broth and lamb to be done.
Once the 30 minutes are done on instant pot , let it naturally release the pressure for 15 minutes than quick release the valve until all the pressure is released and you can open safely. Open the lid and remove the lamb shanks and set in a plate aside waiting for assembly. Strain the broth in the pot fro the aromas and onion and set aside because we are going to use in the assembly also.
Now everything is ready let’s start assembling our dish. First we need to cook the yoghurt.
Pour the yoghurt mixture in the deep pan, and turn the heat to medium-high. And from here you need to keep stirring continuously the yoghurt until it start to boil. It is crucial that you keep stirring so the yoghurt won’t curdle. it will take around 10 min until the yoghurt start to boil. When the yoghurt start to boil and it will be thicker . start adding the broth. Add first one cup and mix it through until the mixture is thin but not to soupy and watery. For me the good ratio was 2 cups not to thick and not to thin. Add the second cup and keep stirring till it start boiling again. Add the onion and stir for 2 minutes. Add the garlic mixture and ix it through . finally add the lamb shanks and mix it gently with the yoghurt.
Lower the heat and let all the ingredients infuse together for 10 minutes, stirring gently once or twice.
Turn of the heat and serve warm with vermicelli rice.
Enjoy!
Notes
Lamb shanks: I used in this recipe some lamb shanks, but you can also use lamb cubes with no bones.
The bone broth: the reason I like to use lamb shanks is that I will be having some extra hearty bone broth to use in other recipes. So, when you are done with this recipe don’t throw the remaining broth from cooking the lamb shanks in the pot. Strain and store in the freezer to use later. I usually let it to cool and store in Ziplock bags or in ice cubes to use in soups and stews later.
Vermicelli rice: Lebanese vermicelli rice: this rice is a simple three ingredient staple Lebanese side dishes made with vermicelli pasta, basmati rice and some oil for cooking, if you want to know how to do it just check my Instagram story highlight under the name “vermicelli rice”.
Meal prep: this meal is better served warm, but you can totally store any leftovers to enjoy any other day. This meal will be as good as freshly cooked for 4 days if stored well in the fridge.