🇮🇷 Iran · Food

Chelow Mahicheh

Name: Chelow Mahicheh
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: IR
Ingredients: 6 units Lamb shank; 3 large Onion; 6 cloves Garlic; 2 tsp Turmeric; 1/2 tsp Saffron; 1 stick Cinnamon; 3 tbsp Vegetable oil; 2 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Black pepper

⏱ 120 min

A recipe worth the effort

🔥 520 kcal

Hearty helping

🍽 6 servings

Feeds a crowd

By eatmundo · August 4, 2026

🇮🇷 IR

An exquisite, slow-cooked Persian lamb shank dish infused with the luxurious aroma of saffron and cinnamon. The meat becomes so tender it falls off the bone at the mere touch of a fork.

Ingredients

check them off as you prepare

How to Make It

1
Season 6 lamb shanks liberally with salt and black pepper on all sides to ensure a deep savory flavor.
2
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the lamb shanks in batches until they are deeply browned, then set them aside.
3
In the same pot, add the 3 large sliced onions and sauté for 8-10 minutes until they become golden and soft.
4
Stir in the 6 cloves of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of turmeric, and 1 cinnamon stick, cooking for another minute until the kitchen smells aromatic.
5
Place the seared lamb shanks back into the pot, nestling them into the onion base, and add 2 cups of hot water.
6
Cover the pot tightly and simmer over low heat for 90-120 minutes, flipping the meat once halfway through, until the shanks are fork-tender.
7
Dissolve the 1/2 teaspoon of saffron in 2 tablespoons of boiling water and pour it over the meat during the last 15 minutes of cooking for the final aromatic touch.
8
Serve the lamb shanks on a platter surrounded by the rich, reduced onion sauce, ideally alongside fluffy saffron basmati rice.