Bills Moroccan Lamb Tagine

Mum reminded me how good this dish is the other day as I hadn't made it in years.  This is actually a good one for the slow cooker, but I didn't have enough time and so followed Bills method of baking it for 2 hours.  It tasted fantastic, though I think the lamb would be even more tender if I had cooked it a little slower.  Another really hearty dish with loads of flavour.

1 tbsp olive oil
8 small frenched lamb shanks
1 Spanish onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
2 tbsp grated palm sugar
4 tsp fish sauce
4 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves
2 cups chicken stock or water
2 potatoes, unpeeled and chopped
1 sweet potato, unpeeled and chopped

Preheat oven to 160 degrees.
Heat oil in a frying pan over a high heat.
Add lamb shanks and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until they are well browned.
Remove lamb and place in a baking dish.
Reduce heat to medium and add onion to the pan.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent.
Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute longer, then add chilli powder, turmeric, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon.
Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add sugar, fish sauce, chopped tomatoes, lime leaves and stock, and bring to the boil.
Remove from heat.
Add potatoes and sweet potato to the baking dish with the lamb, and pour the sauce over the top.
Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours, or until the lamb falls away from the bone.
Serve with steamed cous cous or rice.
Serves 4.
Bills Sydney Food, Bill Granger, Page 139.

This is the sauce that has just come to the boil

The pot straight out of the oven