Persian Braised Lamb Shanks

Apply a generous amount of olive oil to the surface of lamb shanks, then sprinkle with salt.

Combine turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, cumin, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over lamb shanks. Allow the lamb to sit at room temperature for 1 hour, allowing it to absorb the flavors.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large cooking vessel. Cook and stir the onion until it reaches a deep, rich brown color, taking around 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Mix hot water, lime juice, rose water, and saffron in a small bowl. Cover the bowl with a lid and let it steep for 10 minutes.

Heat an additional two tablespoons of olive oil in the large cooking vessel over medium-high heat. Cook and brown lamb shanks in batches, taking around 5 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer the lamb shanks to a plate.

Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon. Add the onion and garlic mixture, along with the steeped saffron mixture, parsley, thyme, lime zest, and bay leaves. Return the lamb shanks to the pot. Cover with chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the lamb shanks are tender, approximately 2 1/2 hours.

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).

Remove the pot from the heat and simmer until the broth has reduced slightly, taking around 20 minutes. Transfer the lamb shanks to an oven-safe dish.

Place the lamb shanks in the preheated oven to keep warm and tender.

Bring the broth to a boil. Simmer until it has thickened, taking around 10 minutes. Spoon the reduced broth over the lamb shanks.