Asian Style Lamb Shanks with Wasabi Mash

With winter upon us, it's those slow cooked comfort food recipes we all pull out of the back of the cupboard to warm our bellies on those chilly nights. Rather than your standard English style Lamb Shanks, why not try these Asian style Lamb shanks instead. The poaching liquid they are cooked in is more like a quick Chinese Master Stock, than casserole base.
Wasabi Mash is a great accompaniment to the shanks and with this amount, is by no means hot or spicy, but you just get a hint of that Wasabi flavour.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 tbs plain flour
• 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 4 lamb shanks, Frenched
• 40ml (2 tbs) olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 small red chilli, seeds removed, finely sliced
• 1L (4 cups) beef stock
• 40ml (2 tbs) red wine vinegar
• 40ml (2 tbs) oyster sauce
• 20ml (1 tbs) soy sauce
• 1 tsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp Szechuan pepper, crushed
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tsp cornflour

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Combine the flour and five-spice, then roll shanks in the seasoned flour. Heat the oil in an ovenproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the shanks and brown on all sides, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Add the onion, garlic and chilli to the pan and cook for a few minutes until the onion starts to soften. Add the stock, vinegar, sauces, spices and lamb.
4. Bring to the boil, then cover and place in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and strain sauce into a saucepan. Transfer shanks to a plate.
5. Combine cornflour with a little cold water, stir into the sauce and bring to the boil. Cook until thickened, then pour over shanks. Serve lamb shanks with wasabi mash (see related recipe).