Vietnamese lamb shanks with sweet potatoes

I have made this classic Vietnamese dish several times and really enjoy the slow braised, fall-off-the-bone tender lamb skanks paired with the sweet potatoes. This dish highlights the complexities of Vietnamese food: chillies, lemongrass, fish sauce, and star anise. They all come together with the heavy meat in a richly flavoured stew. The long braise allows the Vietnamese spices and herbs to integrate well, and the flavours penetrate the meat. For those of us who are averse to lamb, you can substitute chicken (45 minutes of braise time) or make a vegetable version with hardy vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli. I served this stew with basmati rice, but jasmine rice pairs just as well. It is nice to pair it with some lightly sautéed greens to balance the richness of the stew. See recipes for Sichuan-style bok choy or Indonesian-style golden vegetable stir fry.

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Ingredients:

2 tablespoons neutral oil

4 lamb shanks, cleaned and trimmed of membranes

2 onions, halved and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon ginger paste

2 tablespoons garlic paste

2 red chillies halved and deseed. You can chop it for a spicier flavor

1 tablespoon jaggery or palm sugar plus 1 teaspoon

1/2 - 1 star anise, left whole

2 lemongrass stalks, tough outer leaves removed, then bruised

3 cups lamb or chicken stock or water

1 1/2 tablespoons tomato purée

3-4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into big chunks

1 teaspoon fish sauce

Juice of 2 limes, or to your taste

1 handful mint leaves, torn

1 handful basil leaves, Thai preferred, torn

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

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole. Season the shanks with salt, then brown them 2-3 at a time on all sides, adding the remaining oil for the second batch. Set aside.

Add the onions and fry them quite briskly, about 30 seconds. Add the ginger, garlic, and chopped chilli, then turn the heat down and cook for 1 min. Add the sugar, stir, then add the star anise, lemongrass, stock, purée, and seasoning. Bring to the boil.

Cover and cook in the oven for 1 3/4 hours. Alternatively, you can slow simmer this on the stovetop. You should see the meat shrinking on the bone and feel it getting quite tender with a fork.

Add the sweet potatoes, submerge them in the braising liquid, add more water or stock as needed, and cook for 30 minutes more. The lamb should be completely tender and almost falling off the bones. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and 1 teaspoon of sugar to just lift the flavour. Be careful when stirring the sauce; the sweet potatoes are completely cooked, and you do not want them to disintegrate.

To serve, scatter with the mint, basil and the sliced chilli.