Cumin-spiced lamb & cucumbers

Ingredients

• 2 medium cucumbers
• 1 red onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 red chilli
• A small handful of parsley or coriander
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 400g lamb mince
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp pomegranate molasses
• 2 tsp zaatar
• Flatbreads or steamed rice, to serve
• Yoghurt, to serve

Method

Get everything ready to go before you cook because there isn’t time to chop as you go. Use a rolling pin to bash along the cucumber to bruise and break it (not so hard you smash it) then cut it into 2-3cm chunks. Finely slice the onion and garlic and chop the chilli (deseeding it if you prefer it less hot). Pick the parsley or coriander leaves then finely chop the stems.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the cumin seeds, then as soon as they’re sizzling tip in the lamb and season with salt. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat, spreading it out as thin as possible. Cook, without stirring, for about 4 mins, until the lamb is crisp and browned underneath.

Mix it up then add the onion, garlic, chilli and parsley stems to the pan. Stir fry for another 3-4 mins until the lamb is brown all over. Push to one side of the pan and add the cucumbers. Cook for 4 mins, stirring the cucumbers regularly.

Reduce the heat to low and stir in the vinegar and pomegranate molasses. Mix everything up and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the zaatar then serve with flatbreads or rice and yoghurt, with the parsley leaves scattered over.

Image: Emily Gussin