Delicious and tender, these Massaman Curry Lamb Shanks are slow cooked in the oven with a rich coconut milk curry sauce until the meat is so tender it falls off the bone.
You will only need a few ingredients for this easy Massaman lamb curry, and the secret to the extra flavour lies in using a store bought massaman curry paste.
Making your own curry paste from scratch takes time and effort, and it's not really in my cooking wheelhouse - so I much prefer to use a good quality ready made curry paste because, to be honest, it's much better (and quicker) than I could make myself!
This recipe for massaman curry lamb shanks is simmered slowly in the oven with onions and potatoes until it's so soft you won't even need a knife.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this massaman lamb curry
- Rich and mellow curry flavour, not too spicy.
- Only a handful of ingredients but still a tonne of flavour.
What you need to make this recipe
*Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions
- lamb shanks
- Massaman curry paste - Massaman is a rich, creamy and mildly spiced Thai curry dish (I use Maesri brand paste)
- olive oil
- onion
- small potatoes
- coconut milk
- beef stock
- star anise
- unsalted peanuts
- fresh chilli - optional garnish
- fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) - optional garnish
*Please see the recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions
How to make these curried lamb shanks
- Lightly toast the peanuts then set aside.
- Heat the olive oil, then brown the lamb shanks and set aside.
- Fry off the onion until it starts to soften.
- Add in the curry paste, coconut milk, beef stock and star anise.
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- Add in shanks, along with potatoes and bring to a simmer.
- Cover and bake until lamb is soft and potatoes are fork-tender.
Top tips for the best result
- Brown the lamb shanks well, this will give you extra flavour.
- I wrap my star anise up with some cheesecloth, this stops the small seeds in the star-shaped spice escaping during cooking. They are about the size of a large apple seed and are not pleasant to bite down on!
- When the lamb comes out of the oven there will be a lot of oil sitting on top of the curry sauce - this is normal. Just skim off as much as you can.
What to serve with this massaman curry
- Rice
- Sliced tomatoes and cucumber
- Yoghurt sauce
- Naan bread or roti
Storage
Leftovers can be kept covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Suitable to freeze.
Frequently asked questions
Mild.
Other recipes you may enjoy
Moroccan Lamb Shanks - soft, tender lamb shanks, slow cooked in Moroccan spices.
Lamb Spice Rub - this easy combination of common pantry spices including cumin, garlic powder, ground cloves, cardamom and salt brings out the best taste in your lamb dishes.
Lamb Shank Casserole - braised lamb shanks in a rich red wine and tomato sauce.
📖 Recipe
Massaman Curry Lamb Shanks
Ingredients
- 4 lamb shanks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup unsalted peanuts
- 1 medium brown onion sliced
- 114 g massaman curry paste I used Maesri brand (see my notes)
- 400 ml coconut milk I used full fat
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 star anise
- 400 g small potatoes Approximately 8 potatoes
Garnish
- finely sliced red chilli
- fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
Watch me make this recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 150c.
- Place a large oven-safe pot on the stove over low heat and lightly toast the peanuts, then remove and set aside.¼ cup unsalted peanuts
- Add the olive oil to the pan, then brown the lamb shanks over medium-high heat. Once well browned, remove to a plate.1 tablespoon olive oil4 lamb shanks
- Fry the onion over low heat until it starts to soften, then add curry paste, coconut milk, beef stock, star anise and stir well to combine.1 medium brown onion114 g massaman curry paste400 ml coconut milk2 cups beef stock1 star anise
- Add in shanks (plus any resting juices), along with potatoes and bring to a simmer.400 g small potatoes
- Cover with a lid and bake for 2 hours.
- At the 2 hour mark remove the lid, turn the shanks to coat in the sauce and bake uncovered for a further hour or until lamb is tender.
- Skim off excess oil, discard the star anise, scatter over the toasted peanuts and serve garnished with chilli and coriander (if using).finely sliced red chillifresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
Notes
- 114g is the size of a single tin of curry paste - it equates to a little less than ⅓ cup of paste.
- Brown the lamb shanks well, this will give you the best flavour.
- I wrap my star anise up with some cheesecloth, this stops the small hard seeds in the star-shaped spice escaping. They are about the size of a large apple seed and have a strong aniseed flavour if you bite into them by mistake.
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This sounds wonderful! Could it be made in a slow-cooker?
Hi Carol! Yes, you could make them in the slow cooker up to the end of step 6 in the recipe. Keep in mind that the last hour (uncovered) in the oven does thicken the sauce and I don't think uncovered in the slow cooker would give you the same result. I hope this helps!
Lee-Ann
Thank you so much for that! I'll try it over the weekend and let you know how I get on!
My pleasure Carol!
Absolutely delicious with so much flavour! The lamb fell off the bone and was incredibly soft and juicy. I served with jasmine rice and made an Asian smashed cucumber salad as a side. My family loved it and couldn’t get enough of the curry sauce.
I used chicken stock as that’s all I had. I will definitely make again! 10/10
So glad you enjoyed it Maria, we love it here at home too!
absolutely perfect.. couldn't fault this recipe!
Thanks so much Geoff! It's popular here at our house too!
These tasted so good and were so tender and soft, served them with roti bread. Guests loved them, asked for the recipe too.
That's great Celine, glad everyone enjoyed them!