Vietnamese lamb shanks with sweet potatoes

Name: Vietnamese lamb shanks with sweet potatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons Ground Nut Oil; 4 Lamb Shanks; 2 Onion; 2 tbs chopped Ginger; 3 sliced thinly Garlic Clove; 1 chopped Red Chilli; 1 sliced Red Chilli; 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar; 1 tsp Brown Sugar; 3 Star Anise; 2 Lemongrass Stalks; 1L Lamb Stock; 1 ½ tbsp Tomato Puree; 4 Sweet Potatoes; 2 tablespoons Fish Sauce; Juice of 2 Lime; Handful Mint; Handful Basil Leaves

Ingredients

Ground Nut Oil2 tablespoons
Lamb Shanks4
Onion2
Ginger2 tbs chopped
Garlic Clove3 sliced thinly
Red Chilli1 chopped
Red Chilli1 sliced
Brown Sugar1 tablespoon
Brown Sugar1 tsp
Star Anise3
Lemongrass Stalks2
Lamb Stock1L
Tomato Puree1 ½ tbsp
Sweet Potatoes4
Fish Sauce2 tablespoons
LimeJuice of 2
MintHandful
Basil LeavesHandful

Instructions

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole, season the shanks, then brown them 2 at a time on all sides, adding the remaining oil for the second batch.

Remove the lamb and add the onions.

Fry them quite briskly, about 30 secs, add the ginger, garlic and chopped chilli, then turn the heat down and cook for 1 min. Add 1 tbsp sugar, stir, then add the star anise, lemongrass, stock, purée and seasoning.

Bring to the boil.

Cover and cook in the oven for 1½ hrs, then add the sweet potatoes and cook for 1 hr more.

The lamb should be completely tender and almost falling off the bones.

Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and 1 tsp sugar to just lift the flavour, then scatter with the mint, basil and the sliced chilli to serve.

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