Indian Style Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks

  • Serves : 6
  • Type : Main Course

Discover the rich, aromatic flavors of Indian-style slow-cooked lamb shanks. Tender lamb is simmered in a homemade curry paste with warm spices, then topped with crispy onions, fresh mint, and cooling yoghurt for the ultimate comforting dish.

Ingredients

  • 80ml ghee (clarified butter) 
  • 4 lamb shanks (approx. 280g) trimmed
  • 2 cinnamon sticks 
  • 8 cardamom pods bruised
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes 
  • 500ml vegetable stock 
  • 1 onion thinly sliced into rounds
  • 2 tbsp plain flour 
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes 
  • Dried chilli flakes, to serve 
  • 1 tsp dried mint leaves 
  • Fresh mint leaves and poppadoms , to serve
  • Thick natural Greek-style yoghurt , to serve
  • For the curry paste
  • 2 tbsp coriander seeds 
  • 2 tbsp cumin seeds 
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds 
  • 1½ tsp ground turmeric 
  • 2 tsp ground paprika 
  • 4 garlic cloves 
  • 20g fresh ginger, chopped 
  • 4 whole dried chillies 
  • 1 shallot, chopped 

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C.
  2. For the curry paste, toast the coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds in a dry pan for 1 minute. Transfer to a food processor, add remaining paste ingredients and blend until smooth.
  3. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a large frying pan. Brown the lamb shanks all over (4–6 minutes). Stir in the curry paste and cook for 3 minutes. Add cinnamon, cardamom, tinned tomatoes, and stock. Bring to a simmer, cover with the lid and place in the preheated oven - cook for 3 hours or until tender.
  4. Meanwhile, toss the onion rings in flour and salt. Heat remaining ghee in a frying pan and fry onions in batches until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
  5. Serve the lamb sprinkled with chilli flakes and dried mint, topped with crispy onions, fresh mint, poppadoms, and yoghurt.

By | 23 July 2025