BAKED LAMB SHANKS IN PEANUT SAUCE

This recipe was created by accident (even though the inspiration came from the Ghanaian  Groundnut soup) and I'm excited to share it. 

It started off with a blend of Ginger, Aniseed and Pimenton , which was used to marinade the Lamb Shanks overnight. 

There are days when I just don't feel like cooking (which means I find an easy dish to make, even if it's time consuming). The idea of a one pot dish was appealing, as it meant there would be less washing and I could relax.

I realised I had run out of stock (I prefer to make my own) and I had to think of a substitute. I found half a bottle of Peanut butter and the idea of the sauce was created. 

I served this dish with Jasmine rice , which was the best decision ever. Hmm 😋😋

Enjoy!

Serves 4

Preparation time  10 minutes

Cooking time       2hrs 20 min

Ingredients 

4 Lamb shanks

30g Ginger 

150g of Groundnut or Peanut paste

3 large shallots/Red/White onions (I omitted this, as I'm following a FODMAP diet).

1 teaspoon of aniseed 

1 teaspoon of Pimenton (smoked Paprika) 

1 tablespoon of crayfish powder

4 chopped spring Onions

1 habanero chilli

1 large Tomato

30g of roughly chopped Parsley. 

1 tablespoon of Coconut oil

250g of Jasmine rice

280ml of water

Salt to taste

Method 

Blend the Ginger, 2 Shallots , Pimenton and Aniseed into a smooth paste.

Rub the spice blend over the Lamb shanks , place in a bowl with a lid and marinade overnight in the fridge.

Pre heat your oven to 180*c, remove the Lamb from the fridge and bring to room temperature.

 Pour the contents into a deep clay pot or casserole dish and place in the oven. Increase the heat to 200*c and bake for 20 minutes. 

Add the Peanut butter, the remaining shallot/Onion and Tomato to a blender. Add 1 litre of water and blend to silky smooth consistency. 

Take the Lamb out of the oven and pour the blended spiced Peanut mix into the dish. 

Cover your Claypot or Casserole dish and place it back in the oven. 

Reduce the heat to 180*c and bake for 1hr. 

Using an Oven glove, take the Lamb out of the oven,add the crayfish powder, stir and place it back in the oven.  

Tip

(This ensures the Lamb absorbs the sauce and its moist, when cooked). 

 Cook the Lamb for another hour. 

20 minutes before the Lamb is cooked, start preparing the rice (see below).

Jasmine Rice

Wash the rice till the water runs clear. 

Melt the Coconut oil in a saucepan on a medium heat. 

Add the washed rice, fry and stir constantly for about 3 minutes 

Add the water and stir.

Let the rice boil, 

Turn the heat to the lowest setting, 

Cover with a scrunched up baking or greaseproof paper (this will trap the steam). Cover with the lid and leave the rice to cook for 18-20mins

Remove the Lamb from the oven carefully (with an oven glove)and add the chopped spring Onions and Parsley. Stir and leave to rest for about 10 minutes. 

Check the rice as it should be cooked by now. 

To serve

Scoop a portion of the Jasmine rice into a deep bowl, add the sauce to the side, sit a Lamb shank on the sauce and sprinkle with your preferred herbs.

 Best served with homemade Lemonade or a dry white wine. 

All photos and recipes are by the owner of this blog.