Recipe for those looking for a little extra zing but easy enough to cook in a short period of time with just a little fuss and easy spicing.

Toast the red chilies, coriander and cumin seeds an in a frying pan until aromatic, then cool and crush in a mortar with a pestle or in a small grinder until powdered but not fine.

Place the onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, salt and green chillies in a blender. Add 400ml of water and purée. It can be left slightly coarse but a finer purée is best.

Heat the oil until hot in a casserole or deep saucepan that has a good lid and sear the meat well on all sides. When well browned lift off onto a plate and in the now spluttering oil add the cinnamon, cardamom (cracked on the tip) and pepper corns until cinnamon changes colour.

Then pour in the purée of onion, garlic, ginger, chillies and turmeric and sauté for a minute and add the crushed or powdered chilli, cumin and coriander. Sauté for a min or two further and add the lamb into the pan. Reduce heat to medium to low, cover the pot and cook approx for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.

Add the potatoes to the now forming gravy and cook for a further 30 min. You may like to add some water in case the sauce is a little dry. A good sign of the spices cooking well is the separation of a little oil at the edges.

Serve the shanks with steamed rice and seasonal vegetables.

Enjoy!