Green curry lamb shanks
Lamb shanks always make me think of winter and, to be honest, it’s the only time I really
feel like cooking them. With that in mind, I thought it might be nice to bring some summery
flavours to this wintery dish. I’ve given the shanks an Asian twist with Thai green curry
paste, ginger, coconut milk and a scattering of fresh coriander.
SERVES 4
80 ml (21/2 fl oz/1/3 cup) olive oil
4 lamb shanks (1 kg/2 lb 4 oz in total)
3 brown onions, sliced
2 tablespoons green curry paste
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
90 g (31/4 oz/1 bunch) coriander (cilantro), rinsed well
270 ml (91/2 fl oz) coconut milk
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) baby kipfler (fingerling) potatoes, scrubbed and halved
300 g (101/2 oz) green beans, trimmed and halved lengthways
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole dish or deep-sided frying
pan over high heat and cook the lamb shanks until browned all over. Transfer the shanks to
a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
Heat the remaining oil in the casserole dish over medium heat and add the onion, curry
paste, ginger and turmeric. Finely chop the roots and stems of the coriander and add them
to the onion, stirring to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is light golden, then
pour in 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) water. Return the lamb shanks to the dish.
Cook the shanks for 30 minutes, then pour the coconut milk into the dish and add the
potatoes. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour, then add the green beans and cook for a
further 15 minutes.
Just before serving, drizzle the lemon juice over the shanks and scatter with the coriander
leaves.
RECIPE: A Simple Table by Michele Cranston, 2015