Persian Lamb Shank Abgoosht with Chickpeas and Dried Lime

What you need

• 125 g (4 1/2 oz) dried chickpeas
• 125 g (4 1/2 oz) dried white beans, such as navy or cannellini
• 1.2 kg (2 1/2 lb) lamb shanks, bone in, 2-3 shanks
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 l (8 cups) water
• 3 dried limes, pierced all over with a knife
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 ripe tomatoes, halved
• 700 g (1 1/2 lb) potatoes, about 4 medium, peeled and halved
• 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 pinch saffron threads, ground and steeped in 2 tbsp hot water
• flatbread, sangak or lavash, for serving

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Cover the chickpeas and beans with plenty of cold water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse them.

2. 2

   Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and turmeric and cook, stirring, until soft and golden, 8-10 min.

3. 3

   Add the lamb and turn it in the onions until the outside loses its raw colour, about 5 min.

4. 4

   Add the chickpeas, beans and the water. Bring to a boil and skim off the grey foam that rises.

5. 5

   Drop in the limes, partly cover and simmer gently until the beans are soft and the meat is almost tender, about 2 hours.

6. 6

   Loosen the tomato paste with a ladle of the hot broth and stir it into the pot.

7. 7

   Add the tomatoes, potatoes, salt, pepper and saffron. Top up with hot water if the meat is no longer covered.

8. 8

   Simmer until the potatoes are tender and the lamb falls off the bone, 45-60 min. Taste the broth for salt.

9. 9

   Lift the lamb, potatoes, beans, chickpeas and tomatoes out with a slotted spoon into a bowl. Discard the bones and the limes.

10. 10

    Tear some flatbread into soup bowls and ladle the hot broth over it to serve first.

11. 11

    Mash the meat and vegetables into a coarse paste with a potato masher, adding a splash of broth so it stays moist.

12. 12

    Serve the mash warm with more flatbread to scoop it up.

Imported from familyspice.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.