Lamb shanks middle eastern style by Moi,
Delicious and simple, is one of my favourite combinations when it comes to cooking (not a bad combination when it comes to men either). This dish reminds me of that saying by Robert De Niro from the movie Analyze This: “fuggedaboudit” because once you put the lamb shanks in the pot, you can just forget about it, until the meat falls off the bone.
You let the spices and dates work their magic and the aroma will have you drooling.
Once the shanks are ready, serve with rice and your favourite garnish and I guarantee when you serve this dish up, it’s an offer your guests can’t refuse. Leftovers? Fuggedaboudit! It’s never gonna happen, getoutaheah.
Ingredients
3 lamb shanks
3 tablespoons oil
1 large onion sliced
15 pieces of dried dates
½ tsp cinnamon
2 teaspoons Baharat
1 teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon all spice
1 teaspoon onion powder
3 bay leaves
1-2 cinnamon sticks
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper
4-5 cups water
Method
Rub salt and pepper on lamb shanks and brown in a pot with two tablespoons of oil on medium heat.
Cook to seal all over 2-3 min
Remove from pan and add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Fry onion, stir for a couple of minutes, add garlic, stir for another minute, add lamb back to the pot. Add dates and spices and stir, add a cup of hot water, then let it simmer with the lid off for five minutes.
Add cinnamon sticks and bay leaves.
Add three cups of hot water, reduce heat and let it cook for 4 hours or until the meat falls off the bone.
Serve cooked lamb shanks with rice. Garnish with finely chopped mint leaves, parsley leaves, pine nuts and pomegranate seeds.