Lamb shanks cooked slowly to perfection in this classic, fragrant North Indian curry, make a delicious meal.

Ingredients

• 6 lamb shanks, trimmed
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 1½ tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 8 cardamom pods, crushed
• 8 whole cloves
• 8 whole peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground corainder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups beef stock
• ¼ cup plain non-fat yoghurt (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Cut 2-3 deep slashes into each lamb shank and brown well in a dash of oil in a lidded frying pan. Set aside.
2. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves and peppercorns to the pan with an extra dash of oil if required and cook, stirring, over a moderate heat until the mixture smells very fragrant. There is no need to brown the onion.
3. Add the paprika, cumin, corainder and salt and cook for 1 minute. Return the lamb shanks to the pan with the stock, stir and cover.
4. Cook in the preheated oven for 1½ hours and then remove the lid, stir and cook a further 30 minutes until the lamb is very tender and the liquid has reduced. Stir in the yoghurt if using.
5. Serve with rice, vegetables and your favourite Indian chutneys.