Massaman Lamb Shank
When I saw ISSAYA SIAMESE CLUB Bangkok’s Massaman promotes it’s Lamb Shank on facebook it got me excited. Well I just love the food creation at this gorgeous restaurant located in Bangkok. Yes I had tried them out early quarter of this year and their food is just absolutely delicious. Chef Ian ‘s unique 10 hours slow-cooked Massaman Lamb Shank looked so perfectly. By looking at it you know you want to taste it and I will when I get to Bangkok. Looking through my little library I found a Massaman recipe hidden in the Blue Elephant Cookbook and I decided to give it a try. I recreated the Massaman paste but I improvised on the lamb shank as their was cooked with diced lamb.
Pounding the Massaman Paste
Massaman Paste
makes 250g
Ingredients
20 Dried Red Chllies
5tbsp Vegetable Oil
200g Shallots (sliced)
12cloves Garlic (sliced)
1tsp Coriander Seeds
1tsp Cumin Seeds
1tsp White Cardamom
1tsp Cloves
2tsp Whole Black Peppercorns
1tbsp Galangal (chopped)
1tbsp Kaffir Lime Zest
1tbsp Ground Cinnamon
2tsp Salt
2tsp Shrimp Paste
2tbsp Coconut Oil
Method
1. Fry the chillies in the vegetable oil for a few seconds then set aside,
2. Fry the shallots and garlic separately until golden brown, Drain on absorbent paper and set aside.
3. Dry-roast the coriander, cumin, white cardamom, cloves and peppercorns in a pan then grind them together to a powder in a mortar. In the mortar, pound together or process with all the remaining ingredients, except the coconut oil, to form a smooth paste.
4. Cook the paste in the coconut oil for about 10minutes until an aroma develops.
The paste can be kept for up to one month in an airtight container in the refrigerator or six months in the freezer.
Putting all the Ingredients into the Pressure Pot
Massaman Lamb Shank
Ingredients
2whole Lamb Shank
4cloves Garlic
1 sliver Ginger Roots
4 Coriander Roots with stems
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
4tbsp Massaman Curry Paste
1 Bayleaf
pinch ground Cinnnamon
pinch ground Coriander Seeds
pinch ground Cardamon
500ml Coconut Milk
5whole Shallots
3tbsp Palm Sugar
4tbsp Fish Sauce
6tbsp Tamarind Juice
To Garnish
20gm Cashnew Nuts (fried in oil for a few seconds)
2tsp Cream of Coconut Milk
Fresh Coriander Leaves for Sprinkling
Massaman Lamb Shank After Pressure Cooked
Method
1. Coarsely mince or process the garlic with the ginger and coriander roots and stems.
2. Pan fried the Lamb Shank to seal it.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok until very hot. Add the Massaman Curry Paste, ginger, garlic, coriander roots and stems, bayleaf and ground spices.
4. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes, until an aroma develops.
5. Transfer the mixture into the pressure pot. Ad in the coconut milk, lamb shank, shallot, palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind juice.
6. Place the pot into the pressure cooker, close the lid and pressure cooked for 45minutes.
7. Once cooked server the Lamb Shank topped with cashew nuts, coconut milk and coriander leaves.
Massaman Lamb Shank Ready to Serve
I had my recipe done with my pressure cooker. I had used their auto button for lamb which cooked for 30minutes and the outcome was not as tender as I would like to and I would recommend it to be cooked longer maybe another 15minutes. My facbooker friends suggested to add in another step by adding a slow cook after that to tenderize the lamb shank which sounds awesome. Cooking over night on slow cooker can be a good idea too. I guess having ot sit loonger in the pressure cooker will do the trick.
Overall I just love the sauce. Never knew that kaffir lime zest can be such a darling. Soft and had a little juice sour sweet texture in it. Another well licked clean session and left the plate shine.
. . . . .. . . . . . .. . …. …. . . . . . . and awesome recipe, a must attempt Sidney Kan
