The Great Goat Extravaganza

The Great Goat Extravaganza

It’s Saturday night, Saint Patrick’s Day in fact.  (I actually watched a woman crying into her green beer this afternoon.)  Luckily I have lots of time for this recipe today, and got the goat in the marinade before heading out to the Irish sights.  God help me.  I invited a few at the pub for dinner tonight, but most Canadians have never thought about eating goat, and are vehemently unwilling. 

To compound the situation, I was expecting the Goan son in law tonight, but he had to cancel, undoubtedly because it conflicted with the Saint Patrick’s Day festivities, and I now have a great deal of goat to deal with.  This would have been the Great Goan Goat Extravaganza, but oh well...  I had been hoping he’d help me cook it, but since he isn’t here, and I’d already defrosted it, I had no choice but to forge ahead.  Here goes:

The Masala
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon cumin seed
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon fenugreek
1 tablespoon fennel seed
½ teaspoon chili flakes
3 flakes mace
1/5 nutmeg, grated
4 cloves
1 black cardamom, husked and crushed
1 large cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon black salt

Gently roast these in a dry pan till they smell fabulous, and send up a wisp or two of light smoke.  Take off the heat, and grind to a medium powder.

1₺ x 2₺ fresh ginger
2 habaneros (mine weren’t terribly hot, so I used this much)
10 fresh garlic cloves
1 ½ tablespoon vinegar
3 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt

In a blender, liquefy the above five ingredients.  Set the blender aside for now, without washing it.  Pour into a marinating container along with the ground spices.  Blend well and add goat pieces.  Stir to make sure each piece is well covered in the masala paste.  Marinate on the counter for about three hours, or long enough to go to the pub.

Vegetables and meat

1 tablespoon good quality coconut oil
½ teaspoon mustard seed
½ teaspoon cumin seed
7 curry leaves
1 red onion, diced
2 cups water plus more
1/3  fresh coconut,* or ½ cup unsweetened dried coconut
2 fresh tomatoes
1 kilogram goat meat, chopped**
Using the pot that you plan to stew the goat in, put the heat on medium high.  When it feels hot, add the coconut oil, and throw in a few mustard seeds.  When they sizzle and splatter, add the rest, then add the cumin seed.  Let it sizzle for a moment, then add the curry leaves and onion.  Turn the heat down to medium.  Cook till the onion is soft and browned a bit.  Turn the heat back up, to high.  Add the goat meat and masala paste, and leave it for a few minutes.  You want the goat meat to sear.  When it comes away from the pan easily, stir and sear another side.  Browning some of the meat is enough.  You don’t need to brown every surface.

Got bored waiting.  Guess what these 4 icons symbolise!

Put the hulled coconut pieces into the blender with the water, and paste bits (you don’t want to wash that deliciousness down the drain.)  Blend to pulverize the coconut.  (It won’t be smooth.)  Once the meat has browned a little, add the mixture from the blender.  Stir, and then add a bit more water to the blender, along with the tomatoes.  Blend, and pour into the pot.  Add a bit more water to the blender to rinse out the remaining good bits and add to the pot.  Bring it all up to boil, then turn down to simmer for at least two hours.  (I'm still waiting, as I type.) From time to time, stir and check that you have enough liquid, and add a bit more by adding it to the blender first, to get every last molecule of deliciousness.

Once the meat is tender***, serve it with basmati rice.  You’ll need the rice to take the heat off, and having a good raita will help too.  This recipe is s l o w cooking.  You need to be quite patient.  Meanwhile, who’d like to come over for dinner tonight?  There’s lots!

*Buy a regular, hairy coconut.  Put it in something unbreakable, like a plastic bowl, and pound it with a hammer, to break it up, pulling the meat away from the shell.  Save the water, and drink that later.  You’ll strain it through your teeth, but it tastes so healthy and delicious you won’t mind.  Pack away whatever coconut meat you’re not using into a freezer bag, and freeze for another meal.

**I bought frozen cubed goat meat, bone in, at The Real Canadian Superstore, who should be paying me for all my free advertising, honestly!

***When this finally happens, I'll try to include a picture of the finished dish.

Okay, it took 2 1/2 hours!  But worth every moment!  Absolutely delish!