DUBAI: Food is a way to bring loved ones together. This dish was created to be enjoyed at an intimate gathering with family and friends. This braised lamb shank is my mother’s recipe which she used to make during Ramadan. The nostalgia and memories from this dish evoke a lot of emotions. The flavor of the lamb shank and orzo instantly transports me back to my childhood home in Beirut.

Ingredients:

For the marinade

2.5kg lamb shanks

3 cloves of garlic roughly sliced

3 tbsp of plain yoghurt

1/4 tsp of paprika

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp seven spice

1/4 tsp kamouneh spices or any Middle Eastern Spice blend

1/4 tsp black pepper

Drizzle of vegetable oil

Method:

To prepare the marinade

1. In a bowl, add the yoghurt, roughly sliced garlic, marinade spices (turmeric, paprika, ground coriander, seven spice, kamouneh spices and black pepper) along with the vegetable oil.

2. Rub the marinade into the lamb shanks well, cover and allow to marinade for around 24 hours in the fridge.

To cook the lamb shanks

1. Remove the lamb shanks from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you want to start cooking. Scrape off any extra garlic pieces you might notice and heat up a non-stick pan to medium high.

2. Sear the lamb shanks in batches until browned for a few minutes at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Transfer to a large casserole dish and turn the heat to the lowest setting.

3. In a new pan, sauté the sliced onions in a good drizzle of regular olive oil on medium heat until golden brown. Add the chopped carrots and red bell pepper and sauté for another five minutes. Transfer to the casserole dish.

4. Add the very finely chopped garlic and ginger, tomato concentrate along with the spices (turmeric, paprika, ground coriander, seven spice, kamouneh spices and black pepper) to the casserole dish and turn the lamb shanks gently.

5. After half an hour, add the salt, ground almonds and cashews as well as the chopped tomatoes with around a cup of boiling water.

6. Raise the heat to a boil, then return back to the lowest heat. Cover and simmer for another 2 hours, 30 minutes. Keep gently turning the lamb shanks every 15 minutes, scraping the bottom of the casserole dish with a wooden spoon.

Note: The marinade is key to packing in extra flavor. The yoghurt will make the meat more tender and the spices will do most of the work for you.