Jamaican Goat Curry

Chivo, or goat meat is on sale at my local Latin market through Tuesday (April 7th) for 99 cents a pound. Pungent and tasting of lamb, goat meat may be an aquired taste, but using the Chef's Jamaican-styled Goat Curry recipe may convince you to come over to the goat-side.

Along with onions, coconut milk and limes, the Latin market is carrying small one ounce packages of ready-to-use powdered curry; just the right amount for a large stewing pot of kid curry.

As for the goat meat, it is a packaged melange of cuts including, ribs, leg, chop and loin and according to the price sign, from Australia.

The Chef had the pleasure of attending the wedding of his brother-in-law Michael and his wife Pam in Jamaica, where I first tried Jamaican Goat Curry.

Having eaten tamer Indian curries made with vegetables or white meat chicken, I found that the local goat curry packed a spicy punch and intense gamey-mutton flavor; but sweet coconut milk helped tame the heat, along with a few local Red Stripe beers.

The addition of lime juice sets this curry apart from the India-style; citrus adds an extra level of complexity that cuts into the creamy flavor of coconut-flavored curry sauce.

One indigenous ingredient is left out in this recipe: Scotch bonnet peppers. Substitute habanero chiles instead; the 99 cent curry powder I picked up has red chile pepper included, so it's already hot enough - always taste premixed curry power for spiciness!

You can substitute any other meat or just go vegetarian* with The 99 Cent Chef's Jamaican Curry recipe.

 
Ingredients (serves 2-3)

• 2-3 lbs. of goat meat (or any meat, including chicken, beef, pork or lamb.)
• 3 tablespoons of curry powder - for an easy substitute, okay to use ground cumin.
• 13.5 ounce can of coconut milk (or cream - bought at 99c only Store.)
• 1 small container of plain yogurt (optional.) 
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 bell pepper (optional) chopped
• 1 tablespoon of powdered ginger - or fresh chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped habanaro chile (optional - add a little at a time and taste for heat tolerance.) 
• 2 tablespoon garlic chopped (jar or fresh)
• 2 tablespoon lime juice (or lemon)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 cups of water or broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Add a tablespoon of oil to a large deep pan or pot and brown goat meat about 15 minutes, and set aside.

Add chopped onion, bell pepper, garlic, ginger and curry powder over low/medium heat, and cook about 5 minutes until veggies soften and curry powder begins to toast. 

Return meat to pot with curry and pour in coconut milk, water, lime juice and yogurt. 

Mix well, cover and cook about 2-3 hours at a low simmer; check from time to time to stir, and add water as needed. After a couple of hours you can add a little chopped habanero chile, mix well and taste for heat tolerance. 

Uncover the last half hour so liquid reduces by half to get a thicker sauce (or mix in 1 tbsp. of flour dissolved in a 1/4 cup of water, if you are impatient). 

Some of the cuts of meat are fatty, so you may want to skim it off.
 
Serve Goat Curry over white or brown rice. 

*A couple of notes if you want to use chicken; you can reduce cooking time by half (beef, pork or lamb take the same amount of time as goat). For a Vegetable Curry, cook sauteed onion and bell pepper in curry sauce for a half hour, then add your favorite veggies including cauliflower, green beans, carrots and/or potato; and cook until tender. 

Warning, your kitchen and fingers will smell of curry for a couple of days!