Time for a little indulgence. Although January is a month of light eating, the desire for something more substantial and velvety arises on cold, rainy evenings. Then we take comfort in slow cooking meat meals with a voluptuous sauce, where we sit back and lick our fingers and sweep the sauce from our plates with fresh chunky bread. This is a recipe from Mariëtte Crafford’s book, Sonskynkafee(Sunshine café), a delicious book filled with stories and great recipes.

Lamb-shanks with a curry sultana sauce

• 6 small lamb-shanks with the bone cleaned and a nice helping of meat
• olive oil
• 500 ml organic chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 3 bay leaves
• a chopped onion
• a few open cardamom pods
• 3 tablespoons masala
• 5 t cumin seeds
• 5 t white  mustard seeds
• 5 t black mustard seeds
• 2 garlic cloves, leaned and crushed
• a piece of ginger root, grated
• 4 tablespoons of water
• 150 ml yogurt
• 250 ml sultana raisins
• salt and pepper
• 150ml cream
• 125 ml flaked almonds
• fresh coriander/parsley leaves

1. Sauté the lamb-shanks in oil in a heavy based casserole until nicely browned, cover with the stock, add the lemon juice, cinnamon and bay leaves and cook uncovered until the lams begins to soften.
2. Sauté the onion and add to the lamb.
3. Mix all the spices with the 4 tablespoons of water and add to the lamb.
4. Season to taste.
5. Stir in the yogurt and add the sultana raisins. Simmer gently until the lamb is very tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened.
6. Stir in the cream and leave for 10 minutes to heat through.
7. Serve with rice in bowls, pour over some sauce and finish off with a sprinkling of flaked almonds and fresh coriander/parsley leaves.

                                                  Serves six