A classic Peruvian lamb seco: tender meat in an intense, fragrant green sauce. Slow-cooked, rich, and festive, it carries the deep character of northern Peruvian criollo cooking.
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Cut the lamb into medium pieces and pat it thoroughly dry. Finely chop the red onion and grate or finely chop the loche squash. Blend the cilantro with the chicha de jora until smooth, green, and still fluid.
Season the lamb with some of the salt, half the cumin, and all the black pepper. Heat a little more than half of the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the meat in batches for 8 to 10 minutes total, until it develops deeply browned surfaces. Remove and reserve.
Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining oil, and cook the red onion for 7 to 8 minutes, scraping the bottom, until very soft. Add the ground garlic, ají amarillo paste, ají panca paste, loche squash, remaining cumin, and another portion of the salt. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until the base is thick, glossy, and free of raw chili aroma.
Return the lamb and its juices to the pot. Pour in the cilantro and chicha mixture and add the water. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a small gap, and cook over low heat for 55 to 65 minutes, turning the pieces once, until the meat is very tender while still holding its shape. The stew should bubble gently, never boil aggressively.
Add the peas and remaining salt during the final 8 to 10 minutes. Cook uncovered until the peas are tender and the sauce is deep green, glossy, and thick enough to cling to the lamb. If the meat is ready before the sauce has thickened, remove the lamb and reduce the sauce briefly before returning it.
Serve the lamb seco piping hot with the cooked white rice and cooked beans. The meat should yield easily to a fork and the sauce should be generous and cohesive, with cilantro clearly present but integrated into the seasoning base. Dry in name, juicy by definition. 🇵🇪
