Lamb shank with mint pilaf

 Despite this being a long recipe it is not as difficult to make as it may seem, and the end result is absolutely worth it. This is a real culinary treat for all senses. It is based on traditional Indian way of preparing curry meat but simplified. The most important thing to do is to not burn the spices and to not uncover meat or rice during the cooking process. This will ensure the meat is soft and rice gets the typical pilaf texture.


Category: Main dish
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 3 hrs 30 mins
Serves 2

Ingredients:

For the meat
2 lamb shanks
Few cloves
Cardamom seeds
1/2 tsp powdered cinnamon
1/2 tsp powdered nutmeg
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp powdered garlic
2-3 bay leafs
1/2 tsp powdered coriander
1 tsp sweet powdered paprika

For the pilaf
1 chilli pepper
1 tsp curry powder
1 onion
Cumin
1 tbs turmeric powder
1 chicken stock cube
1 cup basmati rice
1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 Greek yogurt

Instructions:
Prepare the chicken stock by dissolving half of the stock cube in 200ml of boiling water.
Heat up a little bit of oil in a pan and fry the spices for the meat for a few moments, just until fragrant. Be careful to not let the spices burn. Add the meat to the spices and fry for about 2 minutes on each side. Add salt and chicken stock. Set the heat to lowest and close the pan with a lid. Cook for an hour and turn the meat around half way through. 
Heat up the oven to 160C then transfer the meat along with any fluid from the pan into a baking tray. Cover with tin foil and set in the oven to roast for 2 hours. Do not uncover during the roasting process.
After 2 hours, remove the foil and set the oven to 200C. Roast the meat for another 30 minutes while preparing the pilaf. Turn half way through.

Cook the other half of the chicken stock cube same as in the beginning.
Finely dice the onion, add to the pan with a little bit of oil, salt it and fry for a couple of minutes.
Add all the pilaf spices and fry until fragrant. Add rice. Stir well. Pour the chicken stock in the pan and add half of glass of water. Let it boil. 
Set the heat to lowest setting and close the pan with a lid. Cook for 12 minutes.
Do not uncover the rice while cooking.
Turn off the heat and let the rice sit closed for another 5 minutes.
Finely chop the mint leaves and use half of it to mix it with yogurt in a separate bowl.
Add the other half to the pilaf and fluff the rice with a fork. Stir.

Serve the lamb shank on top of mint pilaf and pour the yogurt over it.


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