Name: Lamb shank nihari
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 2 tbsp ghee or sunflower oil; 2 onions, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp garlic paste; 1 tbsp ginger paste; 4 small lamb shanks; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tbsp cornflour; 1 tbsp cumin seeds; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 2 tsp fennel seeds; 10 pods cardamom; 2 star anise; 1 cinnamon stick; 10 cloves; 2 tsp whole black peppercorns; grated to make ½ tsp nutmeg; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder; a thumb-sized piece ginger, shredded; a handful of leaves coriander; 1 green chilli, thinly sliced; 1 lime, wedged; naans, to serve

A dish filled with lamb shanks in a deep brown curry broth with lime wedges on the side

2 tbsp ghee or sunflower oil
2 onions
thinly sliced
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp ginger paste
4 small lamb shanks
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp cornflour

SPICE MIX (NIHARI MASALA)

1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
10 pods cardamom
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
10 cloves
2 tsp whole black peppercorns
grated to make ½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

GARNISH

a thumb-sized piece ginger
shredded
a handful of leaves coriander
1 green chilli
thinly sliced
1 lime
wedged
naans
to serve

Method

step 1
To make the nihari masala, tip all of the whole spices into a dry frying pan and toast for 1-2 minutes or until smelling fragrant. Tip into a spice grinder with the nutmeg, ground ginger and chilli powder, and whizz to a powder.
step 2
Heat the ghee in a large casserole and fry the onions with a pinch of salt over a medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes or until softened and beginning to caramelise. Tip in the garlic and ginger pastes, shanks, nihari masala, ground turmeric and a big pinch of salt. Fry for a few minutes, tossing everything to coat, then pour in 1.5 litres of water.
step 3
Bring to a simmer, reduce to a gentle bubble, then put on the lid and simmer gently for 2 hours, then remove the lid and cook for another 2 hours until the lamb is meltingly tender.
step 4
Combine the cornflour with a little cold water then tip into the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened slightly.
step 5
Spoon the shanks into four shallow bowls and ladle over plenty of the gravy. Sprinkle over some of the shredded ginger, coriander and green chilli. Serve with lime wedges and naans.