Goat is a popular meat to use in Asian, African, Middle Eastern, Indian and Caribbean cuisines. It is leaner and has less cholesterol and fat than pork and beef. Due to its lean meat, goat tends to get dry during the cooking process so braising or stewing slowly on low heat is the perfect way to cook it. Goat meat when seasoned and cooked properly can be tender and amazingly flavorful. There are many ways to cook goat meat. This goat curry recipe is, I think, the perfect one to make if you are trying it for the first time.
My husband first tasted this goat curry dish from his friend at work. His friend has been regularly bringing extra goat curry to share with my husband. My husband loves the dish so much, he has been asking me to make it at home. Finally, on the weekend, I was able to make this goat curry at home. My husband’s friend bought the leg of goat for us and even gave me the recipe and some of the spices to use. I was first intimidated by the long list of spices but later on realized that the spices are needed to make this goat curry dish a tasty and flavorful one. I am satisfied and happy on how this goat curry turned out. The meat was tender and tasty and the sauce was thick and flavorful.
INGREDIENTS:
- Leg of goat – main protein in this recipe. It tastes mild, tender and lean cut of goat meat.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper – is used to season the goat meat before cooking
- Avocado oil – is used to fry the spices and meat
- Spices – collectively add a range of flavor to this dish: cinnamon stick, green cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, goat masala and chili powder
- Tomato paste – adds color and a burst of flavor to this dish
- Warm water – is the main braising liquid in this dish.
- Mint and cilantro leaves – are used to flavor and garnish this dish
- Optional: fresh lemon juice – adds a light, fresh flavor to this dish
HOW TO MAKE GOAT CURRY:
To make this goat curry recipe, first season the goat meat with salt and pepper. Next, fry the cinnamon stick, green cardamom pods, cloves and bay leaves in hot oil. After the spices release its aroma, add the goat meat and let it cook until browned. Next, add the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste and ground spices. Cook the mixture for 2- 3 minutes to make sure the meat has absorbed the spices. Add the warm water and cook the mixture until the meat is tender. Add the potatoes and cook for another 15 minutes. Finally, stir in the chopped mint and cilantro leaves.
TIPS:
- Goat is the preferred meat to use in this recipe but beef and lamb may also be used
- The leg of goat is the best cut to use for this recipe. It tastes mild, tender, and lean.
- Seasoning the goat meat before cooking will yield a more flavorful meat
- If goat masala is unavailable, you may use garam masala instead.
Goat Curry
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs boneless leg of goat ,cut into bite-sized pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp avocado oil or any vegetable oil
- 1- inch cinnamon stick
- 7 green cardamom pods ,bruised
- 7 cloves
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 large onion ,finely chopped
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp goat masala
- 2 cups warm water plus more as needed
- 1 large potato ,peeled and cut into large cubes
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- Fresh lemon juice ,to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Season the goat meat with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves; cook until spices sizzle, about 30 seconds. Stir in the goat meat, increase the heat to medium high and cook until the meat begins to brown and its natural juices have evaporated.
- Add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, turmeric, coriander, cumin and goat masala. Cook, stirring constantly for 2- 3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and then add the warm water, stirring and scraping up any accumulated browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until the meat is tender. Stir frequently to make the sauce does not stick at the bottom of the pan and add more water as needed.
- Add the potato and cook until potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover and continue to simmer until preferred sauce consistency has been reached. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh mint and cilantro leaves.
- Serve with rice or nan. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice, if using.
Nutrition
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