Middle Eastern Braised Lamb Shanks with Dates and Cous Cous

• 8 lamb shanks
• 1 stick The Spice People’s Cinnamon Sticks
• 4 tsp The Spice People’s Sweet Paprika
• 2 red capsicum, thinly sliced
• 200g pitted dates, roughly chopped
• 2 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 cup dates, chopped
• 2 tin crushed tomatoes
• 2 cup chicken stock
• 2 tin chickpeas, rinsed
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp salt
• 6 cups cous cous
• 6 cups hot chicken stock
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 2/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
• salt and pepper to season

1. Preheat a large casserole pot over high heat and add a good drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt. Brown off the lamb shanks in batches until deeply caramelised. Remove the shanks and cook the onion and capsicum until tender, add the spices, dates, and garlic and continue cooking for a further minute or two. Return the lamb shanks to the pot and add the stock, crushed tomatoes and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-2.5 hours or until the lamb shanks are falling apart.
2. Just before the shanks are ready to serve, cover the cous cous with the hot stock in a small bowl and wrap in cling film. Allow to sit for 3-4 minutes before forking through the chopped parsley, chopped hazelnuts and seasoning with freshly ground black pepper and salt.

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