Spicy lamb & paw-paw

Fragrant, fiery, and built on a homemade spice paste, this lamb dish leans into Southeast Asian flavors and one genuinely clever trick. The cubed lamb is first seasoned with papaya skin, whose natural enzymes gently tenderize the meat before it ever hits the heat.

The base is a fresh paste of chilli, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, galangal, and turmeric, fried until the kitchen fills with its scent. That blooming step is what unlocks the aromatics, so don’t rush it.

A long, slow simmer in coconut milk melts the lamb to tender and softens the chilli’s edge into a warm, rounded heat.

The finishing flourish is a green papaya salad, crunchy slices tossed with lime, fish sauce, and chilli that cut straight through the richness like a cold knife.

Pro Tips

• Rub the lamb with papaya skin and let it sit. The papain enzyme inside breaks down tough fibers, leaving the meat meltingly tender.
• Fry the spice paste until it darkens and turns deeply fragrant before adding the lamb. Underfried paste tastes raw and harsh.
• Bash the extra lemongrass stalk rather than slicing it, so it perfumes the braise and can be lifted out before serving.
• Add the coconut milk after the initial simmer and keep the heat gentle, or it can split into oily curds.

Variations

• Use beef chuck or chicken thighs in place of lamb, adjusting the simmer time.
• Stir in Thai basil or kaffir lime leaves near the end for an even brighter aromatic lift.