Lamb shanks braised in Thai mixed fish sauce
The ubiquitous mixed fish sauce of Thailand is the inspiration behind this braised lamb shank recipe. Garlic, lemongrass, ginger, chilies, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar give the dish a deeply nuanced flavor.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 lamb shanks total weight about 1 kilogram / 2.2 pounds
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 large onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic lightly pounded
- 1 one-inch knob ginger peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 stalks lemongrass (only the lower portion of the stalks; measure three inches from the root), minced after discarding outer layers
- 5 bird’s eye chilies thinly sliced
- 3 cups bone broth
- 3 to 4 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
- cooked rice to serve
- mint leaves to garnish
Instructions
- Pat the lamb shanks dry with paper towels.
- Heat the cooking oil in a wide shallow pan.
- Over high heat, brown the lamb shanks, rolling them in the hot oil to brown as much of the surface as possible.
- Lift out the lamb shanks and move to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium. In the remaining oil, saute the onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and three of the chilies until softened.
- Put the lamb shanks back in the pan. Pour in the broth and fish sauce. Stir in the sugar. Bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for two to two and a half hours.
- When the shanks are done, assemble the the dish.
- Spread rice on a serving platter and arrange the lamb shanks on top of the rice.
- Stir the lime or lemon juice into the cooking liquid then spoon the liquid, along with the aromatics, over the meat. Sprinkle in the mint leaves and remaining chilies.
