On the Chinese calendar, this year (2015) is slanted as ‘the year of the Goat’. Based on astronomers, it’s supposed to be one for good luck. And, I could always do with an extra dose of good luck anytime.
Anyway, in honor of the goat, I’ve decided to make a dish called braised curried goat. This dish is certainly one from my roots. Over the years, I must have consumed same repeatedly. Without a doubt, in Jamaica, the beginning of the year (New Year’s Day), every householder cooks and indulges this popular dish.
My dear uncle Dan was and is still a farmer in a rural village of a parish called St. Mary, Jamaica. He rears goats and other farm animals for consumption. Uncle Dan was and is still a generous man. He often doled out sizable portions of goat meat during the holidays. Oh, I can still remember the delicious and mouth-watering dishes prepared from those goat meats.
And speaking of goat, this brings back even more memories as a girl in my island home of Jamaica. My next door neighbor kept a female goat. Let’s call her Nanny. Looking back, I’m babbled this guy was allowed to keep a goat in a residential community. But, I guess that’s what sometimes happens in a laid-back island domain.
The thing is, that goat went off and got herself pregnant. Well, her owner was the ‘love guru’ and arranged the affair. Each day, he took her out to pasture and subsequently Nanny mated and had baby goats (kids). As a girl, it was fun for me and my siblings to stretch across the fence and feed and pet them. Those kids were so cute.
After a while though, things became rather troublesome. Those cuties grew into adults and created quite a mayhem on a daily basis. Their baaing grew louder and louder in the community. They even ate and sometimes destroyed plants in neighbors’ yard. I do think that man and his family bribed the entire residents by doling out fresh goat’s milk.
So, back to my braised curried goat. I fetched a couple a pounds from the butcher at my neighborhood indoor farmer’s market. The cost was $3.99 per pound. Although they were ready for cooking size-wise, I further cut them into smaller portions.
Ingredients:
- Goat (2 lbs)
- Curry powder (2 tsp or to your preference)
- Cumin (1 tsp)
- All spice(pimento) (1tsp)
- Onion (1small)
- Celery (1stalk)
- Root ginger (1tsp)
- Scotch bonnet pepper (1)
- Jamaica white rum (2 tbsp)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Thyme (2 sprigs)
- Irish potato (2 small)
- Coconut oil (2 tbsp)
- Soy sauce (2tsp)
- Vinegar (2tbps)
- Cold tap water
- Sugar (pinch)
Preparation/Method:
- After a quick rinse of goat meat, it was marinated overnight with crushed garlic, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and curry powder.
- Mutton was brought to room temperature. Then, in a sturdy hot skillet with a few drops of coconut oil, mutton was added with a teaspoon of finely chopped ground ginger.
- On medium heat, meat wassauteed for about five minutes. Then rum was added.
MUTTON IN HOT SKILLET WITH FINELY CHOPPED GINGER READY TO BE BRAISED - Chopped seasonings and thyme were also added. Then, cold tap water was added to cover meat.
- Lid was placed on skillet under low to medium heat. Whenever water evaporated additional water was added until meat was fork tender.
- Approximately fifteen minutes into cooking process, add chopped Irish potatoes. These will aid into thickening of gravy.
- A taste test of dish is done and if additional seasoning or spices are needed these are added.
Guys, I served my good luck dish with steamed Jasmine rice and steamed veggies. And, like a true Jamaican, I also had a serving of avocado and fried plantains. I’m feeling lucky!