Xawaash Braised Lamb Shanks

Deeply flavorful, fork-tender braised lamb shanks don’t require much more than time. This recipe simmers the meat for three hours in a simple broth that’s flavored with garlic, cilantro and xawaash spice. It cooks down into a thick, glossy gravy to coat the succulent meat. This recipe reimages the common way this dish is cooked while maintaining the traditional Somali flavor profile that makes it a familiar classic. Serve over plain white rice or with roasted potatoes and a salad.

Ingredients

• 2 lamb shanks (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon xawaash (see Tip)
• 10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 large white onion, peeled and diced
• 0.5 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Steps

1. Coat lamb shanks with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few cranks of black pepper; set aside.
2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm up olive oil until it shimmers. When the oil is hot, lightly sear lamb shanks on both sides, about 30 to 60 seconds per side. Add the xawaash, garlic, onion, cilantro and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; cover with about 9 cups of water (or until lamb shanks are completely covered).
3. Bring to a boil over high, turn down the heat to medium, cover and cook for 3 hours. (Be sure to periodically check the water level, adding water as needed to ensure the meat stays submerged for the first two hours of cooking time.) When time is up, the meat should be very tender.
4. Gently remove the lamb shanks from the pot and place on a plate. If there is a lot of broth leftove, boil down the excess liquid over high, uncovered, for 10 minutes, until reduced to a glossy gravy. Pour this gravy on top of the lamb shanks.
5. Serve over white rice. Lamb shanks can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.