Red chilli lamb shanks

Method

1 Heat the oven to 140°C (120°C fan oven) gas mark 1. Grind all the ingredients for the spice blend together.

2 Heat a tablespoon of oil in a casserole over a medium-high heat, season and colour the shanks, then remove them.

3 Reduce the heat to medium-low, add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and fry the onions for 5-7 minutes till lightly coloured. Add the garlic, ginger and spices and fry briefly. Stir in the tomato purée, 450ml water and some salt. Return the lamb to the pan, bring to the boil, cover and cook in the oven for 4 hours, turning the meat at intervals. Ideally, prepare to this point a day in advance, leave it to cool and then chill.

4 Heat the oven, or turn the heat up to 240°C (220°C fan oven) gas mark 8. Place the chillies in a small baking dish, drizzle over a tablespoon of oil and roast them for
15 minutes, then drizzle with lemon juice.

5 At the same time, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the peppers for 6-8 minutes until softened and starting to colour.

6 Skim any fat off the surface of the curry and reheat it if cooked in advance. Remove the lamb to a serving dish and cover with foil to keep warm. Simmer to reduce the juices by about a third. Stir in the peppers and coconut milk and simmer for another 7 minutes. Stir in the coriander. Pour the sauce over the lamb shanks, scatter over the chillies and some more coriander.