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📍Lagos, Nigeria

ASUN - MY FAMILY'S SPICY SMOKED GOAT MEAT

This is the dish that brings out the fire in every party. Asun is originally from Ondo State, but my grandmother learned it from her Yoruba neighbours in Ibadan and made it our family's Sunday special. You haven't lived until you've eaten smoky, peppery goat meat with cold beer on a hot Lagos evening.

INGREDIENTS

For the meat:
- 1kg goat meat (or ram meat), cut into small cubes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 2 seasoning cubes (Maggi or Knorr)

For the pepper sauce:
- 8-10 scotch bonnet peppers (atarodo) - this is the heart of Asun, do not reduce
- 2 large red bell peppers (tatashe)
- 2 medium onions (1 for blending, 1 for slicing)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 thumb-sized ginger
- 1 teaspoon dried cayenne pepper (optional - for extra fire)

For smoking:
- 2-3 pieces of dried wood charcoal
- A small piece of aluminium foil with some vegetable oil (for smoke)

For garnish:
- Sliced onions
- Fresh cucumber rounds

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Boil the goat meat
Wash the goat meat thoroughly with salt and warm water. Drain. Place in a pot with 1 teaspoon salt, 2 seasoning cubes, and just enough water to cover. Boil for 45 minutes to 1 hour until tender but not falling apart. Do not boil too soft - we need it to hold for smoking.

Step 2: Prepare the pepper mix
While the meat boils, roughly chop the scotch bonnets, red bell peppers, 1 onion, garlic, and ginger. Blend with very little water - you want a thick, almost paste-like consistency. My mama taught me: the less water you use, the more the pepper sticks to the meat. Set aside.

Step 3: First fry
Drain the boiled meat completely. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pan. Fry the meat on high heat for 5-7 minutes until lightly browned and slightly crispy outside. Remove meat and set aside.

Step 4: Make the pepper sauce
In the same pan with the residual oil, pour in your blended pepper mix. Fry on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. Add 1 more seasoning cube. The oil should start separating from the pepper - that's how you know it's done.

Step 5: Smoke the meat (the secret step)
If you have a charcoal grill or a makeshift smoker, this is where it gets real. Place the fried meat on a grill over hot charcoal. Add the foil with oil directly on the charcoal to create smoke. Cover and smoke for 3-5 minutes. No grill? Add 1 tablespoon liquid smoke to the pepper sauce and continue.

Step 6: Combine and final fry
Add the smoked meat back into the pepper sauce. Stir to coat every piece. Add the sliced onions now - they should soften but still have crunch. Cook for 3 more minutes on medium heat. Taste and adjust salt.

Step 7: Serve hot
Pile the Asun on a wooden board or big platter. Garnish with extra sliced onions and cucumber rounds. Serve with cold drinks - Star beer or Chapman. Never refrigerate leftovers (there won't be any).

PERSONAL TIPS

- The goat meat must be clean and fresh. Old goat meat tastes gamey and tough. Always buy from a trusted seller at the market.
- Scotch bonnet peppers are not optional. If you want milder Asun, reduce the number but never substitute with ordinary pepper.
- Smoking is what separates Asun from regular fried goat. If you cannot smoke, toast the meat in a dry pan until char marks appear.
- This dish is meant to be eaten with your hands. Forget forks. The pepper oil on your fingers is part of the experience.
- Always make extra - Asun disappears faster than money in Lagos traffic.

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