On the heat. Extra hot

Ingredients

• 1 kg lamb diced steak, 20 mm
• 4 tbsp cumin seed (geera), dry-roasted and ground
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, chopped · 6 cloves garlic
• 1 bunch chadon beni (culantro), or coriander
• 1 scotch bonnet, chopped
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp green seasoning
• 2 tsp black pepper · salt
• Lime, to finish

Method

1. Roast the cumin seed in a dry pan until it is a shade darker and smells nutty, then grind. You need far more cumin than feels reasonable — that is the dish.
2. Season the lamb with the green seasoning, half the chadon beni, garlic, salt and pepper. Rest 30 minutes.
3. Oil hot, onion in, then the seasoned lamb, seared hard for 10 minutes.
4. Curry powder and half the ground cumin in. A splash of water, lid on, 1 hour on low until tender.
5. Lid off, scotch bonnet in, and cook down hard until completely dry and the meat is sticky and dark, about 20 minutes.
6. The rest of the ground cumin stirred through off the heat, so it stays raw and pungent. Chadon beni and lime. Toothpicks and cold beer.

Cook's note. Half the cumin cooked, half raw. Cooked cumin gives depth, raw ground cumin gives the sharp, almost medicinal top note this is famous for.

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