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Lamb Shank Biryani with Brown Rice

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Tender spiced lamb shanks, browned in the air fryer and served with buttery onion brown rice. An adaptation of my cooking discussion, using suggested spice quantities rather than a confirmed record of the original cook.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg lamb shanks
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds toasted and ground
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp salt plus extra to taste
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice or cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste optional
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper optional
  • 250 ml water approximately, plus extra as needed
  • 2 onions sliced
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 400 g cooked brown rice
  • 100–150 ml reserved lamb cooking liquid

Method

  1. Toast the coriander seeds briefly in a dry pan until fragrant, then grind. Mix with the remaining spices, salt, oil, lemon juice or cider vinegar and the optional ginger-garlic paste and white pepper. Coat the lamb shanks, cover and refrigerate for 1–2 hours.
  2. Place the marinated shanks in a heavy pot with approximately 250 ml water. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook continuously for about 2½–3½ hours, turning occasionally and topping up with hot water as needed, until the meat is fork-tender. Do not allow the pot to boil dry.
  3. Lift out the cooked shanks and reserve the cooking liquid. Preheat the air fryer to 230°C, if your model supports it. Brown the shanks for 5–8 minutes, checking at 5 minutes. If your air fryer has a lower maximum temperature, use that setting and watch for a browned finish.
  4. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a wide pan. Add the sliced onions and cook over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring, until soft and caramelised.
  5. Add 100–150 ml of the reserved lamb cooking liquid to the onions, then stir in the cooked brown rice. Cover and heat thoroughly until piping hot throughout, adding a splash more liquid if needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  6. Serve the browned lamb shanks with the onion rice and spoon over a little extra cooking liquid if you like.

Notes

This is a biryani-inspired adaptation of my lamb-shank cooking discussion, not a confirmed transcription of the original spice quantities. It uses individual spices, with no yoghurt or premixed masala.
The 400 g rice amount is treated as cooked weight in this adaptation. Start with freshly cooked rice, or properly refrigerated cooked rice, and heat until piping hot throughout. Marinate in the fridge and cook the lamb continuously until tender; do not leave partially cooked lamb standing in an unheated pot.
Timing varies with the size of the shanks. Allow 1–2 hours for marinating and approximately 2½–3½ hours for the gentle simmer, plus browning and rice preparation. Taste the reserved liquid before seasoning the rice.

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