Spiced Persian Lamb Shank Stew

Name: Spiced Persian Lamb Shank Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 2 lamb foreshanks; 200ml vegetable oil; Salt and pepper; 2 tsp turmeric; 1 bunch parsley, washed, drained and finely chopped; 2 bunches coriander, washed, drained and finely chopped; 1 bunch fresh fenugreek, finely chopped (or 30g dried); 1 leek, green and white parts, finely chopped; 10 Persian dried limes, pierced and soaked in boiling water (see alternative below); 1 x 400g tin cooked red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Servings: 2 servings

Khoresht e ghormeh sabzi, often called Iran’s national dish, is a hearty stew made with lamb foreshanks and a distinctly Persian mix of herbs and spices. Best served hot with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the juices.

You can make this in a slow cooker if it's large enough to take all the ingredients.

Tags:

Middle Eastern Persian Slow Cooker Stews Lamb/Mutton/Goat

Ingredients

2 lamb foreshanks
200ml vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
2 tsp turmeric
1 bunch parsley, washed, drained and finely chopped
2 bunches coriander, washed, drained and finely chopped
1 bunch fresh fenugreek, finely chopped (or 30g dried)
1 leek, green and white parts, finely chopped
10 Persian dried limes, pierced and soaked in boiling water (see alternative below)
1 x 400g tin cooked red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Method

Chances are you won't find Persian dried limes in your supermarket. To recreate an approximation of these, roast 3-4 fresh limes at 180C for 20-30 minutes until the skins darken, pierce with a for and soak in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Use the water and limes in the stew in place of the Persian dried limes.
If this seems like too much faff, a rough equivalent is the juice of 2 limes, the zest of 1 lime and 1/2 tsp cider vinegar, but this will lack the smoky flavour.

Rub the shanks all over with a little oil, salt, pepper and a teaspoon of turmeric. Heat 50ml oil in a large frying pan and, once hot, sear the shanks, turning regularly, until nicely browned all over. Remove the shanks and set aside.

In the same pan, fry the herbs on a medium heat for five to 10 minutes, or until dark green and there is little water left. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In a lidded pot big enough to hold all the shanks, fry the leek in the remaining oil on a medium heat, stirring all the time, until translucent in the middle and coloured around the edges. Add the remaining teaspoon of turmeric and some salt and pepper, fry, stirring, for a minute more, then add the browned shanks and the dried limes, and pour in enough hot water just to cover. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover the pan and leave to cook for 90 minutes.

Add the fried herbs to the pot, cover again and cook for another hour. When done, lift out the limes, and squeeze out any liquid into a bowl. Strain the stock and set aside.

Stir the kidney beans into the stew, and season, then add the reserved stock and the lime juice, to taste – I like it quite sour, so I use all the juice, but a couple of tablespoons may be enough for you.

Put the lid back on the pot, turn off the heat, let the stew sit for five minutes, then serve with saffron rice and perhaps some yoghurt on the side.