The Banker's Jamaican Goat Curry
+ Recommendation: Definitely Try It!
+ Serve with: The Jamaican Rice & Peas (recipe below). If you're expecting peas in this recipe you'll be disappointed. 'Peas' are code for kidney beans. Those crazy Jamaican's.
+ Food consumption environment: Sunday night on the couch with the carpenter. Dora giving us the 'all I want for Christmas is goat' eyes.
+ Topic of conversation: The carpenter: 'Oooooo The Banker has come through the with goods'!
I don't know what makes a Jamaican goat different to an Australian goat, but if Bob Marley were alive today he'd be asking me to 'Stir It Up' before smashing a big reggae sized bowl of it (that's a big bowl)!
I cooked this curry because it was recommended by The Banker. And when The Banker tells you to cook something, you cook it. I'm not going to say you'd be stupid if you didn't, but yes, yes you would be stupid if you didn't. The best part of the dish? The leftovers! (refer last pic below) The carpenter was beside himself.
The only reason it didn't get a Make Me Now! was because it was a bit intense to make. The quanity of spices would sink a goat ship (please don't try to sink a goat ship). However, now that I've got a healthy sized Tupperware full of curry powder, I'll definitely be goating it again. And, if you're lucky enough to be lingering around our front door while it's on the brew 'Get Up, Stand Up' and come on in!
Recipe provided by The Banker
6-8 Tbsp curry powder (see below)
3 pounds goat (can use lamb or beef if you can't find goat)
1-2 habanero or Scotch bonnet peppers, seeded and chopped (I just used a chilli)
A 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
1-2 cans coconut milk (use two cans)
1 15-ounce can of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes (about 400g)
5 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1. Make the curry powder (see recipe below)
2. Cut the meat into large chunks, maybe 2-3 inches across. If you have bones, you can use them, too. Salt everything well and set aside to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Mix in 2 tablespoons of the curry powder and heat until fragrant.
4. Pat the meat dry and brown well in the curried oil. Do this in batches and don’t overcrowd the pot. It will take a while to do this, maybe 30 minutes or so. Set the browned meat aside in a bowl. (When all the meat is browned, if you have bones, add them and brown them, too.)
5. Add the onions and habanero to the pot and sauté, stirring from time to time, until the onions just start to brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle some salt over them as they cook. Add the ginger and garlic, mix well and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.
6. Put the meat (and bones, if using) back into the pot, along with any juices left in the bowl. Mix well. Pour in the coconut milk and tomatoes and 5 tablespoons of the curry powder. Stir to combine. If you are using 2 cans of coconut milk, add 3 cups of water. If you’re only using 1 can, add 4 cups of water. Add the thyme. Bring to a simmer and let it cook until the meat is falling-apart tender, which will take at least 2 hours. Longer if you have a mature goat.
7. Once the meat is close to being done – tender but not falling apart yet – Add the potatoes and mix in. The stew is done when the potatoes are. Taste for salt and add some if it needs it.
8. You might need to skim off the layer of fat at the top of the curry before serving. Do this with a large, shallow spoon, skimming into a bowl. Also, be sure to remove any bones before you serve the curry.
The stew is better the day after, or even several days after, the day you make it.
Serve with Jamaican rice and peas, a coconut rice with kidney beans.
1/4 cup whole coriander seeds
2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
2 tablespoons whole mustard seeds
2 tablespoons whole anise seeds
1 tablespoon whole fenugreek seeds (or yellow mustard seeds if we can’t find this)
1 tablespoon whole allspice berries (or equal parts cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and black pepper if we can’t find allspice berries)
5 tablespoons ground turmeric
Combine the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, anise seeds, fenugreek seeds, and allspice berries in a skillet. Toast over medium heat until the color of the spices slightly darkens, and the spices are very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove the spices from the skillet, and allow to cool to room temperature. Grind the spices with the turmeric in a spice grinder. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
