Lamb shanks with pomegranate molasses

This dish takes a lot longer to cook than most of the other recipes in the book and you’ll see why once you taste it. It definitely tastes better the longer you leave it. The combination of pomegranate and lamb is something that your taste buds will love you for.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 60g/2 oz fresh ginger, peeled
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tbsp Lucy Bee coconut oil
• 2 lamb shanks
• 200g/7 oz red onions, chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 10 cardamom pods
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 400ml/12/3 cups chicken stock (see book page 177 for homemade)
• 1 x 400g tin/2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• Handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
• Himalayan salt and ground black pepper
• Pomegranate seeds, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2.

2. Blitz the cumin and coriander seeds in a spice grinder. Blitz the ginger and garlic together in a small food processor (or grate both and crush them together).

3. Melt the coconut oil in a flameproof casserole and, when hot, add the lamb shanks, season and brown all over, then remove from the casserole and set aside.

4. Add the onions to the casserole and stir continuously over a medium-low heat until brown on the edges. Add the garlic and ginger mixture and stir for 1 minute, before adding all the spices. Stir to mix, add a little of the stock to prevent the ingredients from sticking, and cook for about 2 minutes.

5. Add the tomatoes, remainder of the stock, the tomato purée (paste) and pomegranate molasses and mix everything together well.

6. Place the lamb shanks back in the casserole, coat in the sauce and bring to the boil. Cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 3–4 hours, checking halfway through the cooking and adding a little water if needed. The lamb is ready when it falls off the bone.

7. Stir in the coriander and sprinkle over with pomegranate seeds to serve.

From Coconut Oil: Recipes for Real Life. Recipe text © 2016 Lucy Bee Limited.