The dish can be made with small lamb shanks or with knuckle of veal (osso buco) or slightly fatty, cubed meat. I have used lamb shanks, a cut not normally available in supermarkets. But butchers sell fresh ones from the foreleg weighing about 10 ounces and frozen ones from New Zealand from the back leg weighing from 14 to 16 ounces. Serve it with plain or Vermicelli Rice (see page 304). The yogurt makes a wonderful, soupy sauce so provide spoons, too.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　6 small or 4 large lamb shanks

　　Salt and white pepper

　　1 pound shallots or baby onions

　　8 cups plain whole-milk yogurt

　　2 tablespoons cornstarch

　　3 garlic cloves (optional)

　　To serve: crushed dried mint

　　

Step 1

Put the lamb shanks in a large pan and cover them with water. Bring to the boil, remove any scum, and add salt and pepper. Cook them with the lid on for 2 hours, adding water to keep them covered. Peel the shallots or baby onions; drop them in boiling water and poach them for 5 minutes to loosen the skins, then drain and peel them while still warm. Add them to the meat and cook for 30 minutes more, until they are soft and the meat is so tender that it falls off the bone.

　　

Step 2

You need to prepare or stabilize the yogurt to prevent it from curdling during cooking. Pour it into a large saucepan and beat well until it is liquid. Mix the cornstarch to a light paste with 3 to 4 tablespoons water and add this to the yogurt, beating vigorously until well mixed. Now bring the yogurt to the boil slowly, stirring constantly in one direction only, then reduce the heat to as low as possible and let it barely simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Do not cover the pan with a lid: they say that a drop of steam falling back into the yogurt could ruin it. I am not sure that is true.

　　

Step 3

Drain the cooked shanks—you can remove the bones or not, as you wish—and the onions and add them to the yogurt. Stir in a little salt and the garlic, if using, and simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes.

　　

Step 4

When serving, pass around a little bowl of dried mint so people can stir a teaspoonful or so into their sauce, if they wish.

　　Arabesque