Prepare mise en place: dice the onion and red pepper, mince the garlic, slice the avocado, and roughly chop the cilantro. Having everything measured and ready will make the sauté and spice-toasting steps smooth and prevent burning.

Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Warm oil until it shimmers — this ensures even heat distribution and prevents the lamb from sticking when it hits the pan.

Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt; sweat 3–4 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned. Sweating (gently cooking) the onion first softens it and releases sweetness that balances the lamb’s richness.

Increase the heat slightly, add the ground lamb in one even layer, and let it sear undisturbed for 2–3 minutes. Searing develops a Maillard crust that concentrates savory flavor — resist stirring too soon.

Break the lamb apart with a wooden spoon and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until it is deeply browned and most of the rendered fat has released, about 6–8 minutes. Browning rather than steaming the meat gives the chili depth; if there’s an excessive amount of fat, carefully spoon off 1–2 tablespoons (reserve for other uses).

Push the browned lamb to one side of the pan, lower the heat to medium, and add the diced red pepper and minced garlic to the cleared space (add a touch more oil if the pan is dry). Cook 2–3 minutes until the pepper softens and the garlic is fragrant; cooking the garlic separately briefly prevents it from burning and becoming bitter.

Stir the lamb, pepper, and onion together, then sprinkle the chili powder and ground cumin over the mixture. Toast the spices in the fat for 30–45 seconds while stirring — toasting blooms the spices and deepens the chili’s smoky, warm profile.

Pour in the 400 g can of diced tomatoes with their juices and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom (those are flavor gold). Bring to a gentle simmer.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes until the chili thickens and the flavors concentrate. Stir every 5 minutes. If the chili becomes too thick before flavors are melded, add up to 60 ml (¼ cup) water or bone broth to adjust the consistency — simmering reduces and intensifies flavor, so give it time to develop.

Season to taste with the remaining kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste for balance — the chili should be savory with a warm, smoky heat from the chili powder and a clean aromatic note from the cumin. Adjust salt in small increments; salt enhances and brightens all flavors.

Turn off the heat and let the chili rest in the pot for 5 minutes to let flavors settle. Spoon the chili into warmed bowls and top each serving with sliced avocado and a generous scattering of chopped cilantro. The cool, creamy avocado and bright cilantro cut through the rich, spiced lamb, adding freshness and textural contrast.

Serve immediately. If you like, offer extra chili powder, flaky sea salt, or a wedge of lime at the table for finishing (lime is an optional acid to brighten the dish). Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days and develop even deeper flavor.