Caribbean Style Curry for Goat or Other Meat

Caribbean Style Curry for Goat or Other Meat

(c) Dorine Houston 2008, all rights reserved 

Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia runs through an African American neighborhood that is more African than American; many of the residents are recent immigrants.  Markets along this stretch, south and east of the more fashionable Chestnut Hill portion at the upper end of Germantown Avenue, carry African ingredients and many advertise their halal (ritually pure for observant Muslims) meat.  This is in the north/northeast part of the city. 

Another community with a large population of recent African immigrants is in West Philadelphia, south and southwest of University City, home to Penn and Drexel.  The Baltimore Avenue area likewise boasts markets selling African ingredients and halal meats.  These markets are now found as far north as Chestnut Street west of 40th Street.  It is also a community that supports at least three Ethiopian restaurants, two of which I know from repeated personal experiences to be excellent.  I love their traditional bread, injera, made from tef!  Finally, the Italian Market on 9th Street in South Philadelphia has a vendor offering goat meat as well as a variety of game meats. 

Goat is quite similar to lamb in flavor, and adapts itself well to spicy preparations.  Because it is not mass produced the way beef and chicken are, it is more likely to be free range and perhaps even somewhat organic by default, and as a result, more healthful than feedlot meat and poultry.  I originally created this recipe for a contest at Recipezaar over two years ago, and recently decided to modify it somewhat.  The original called for goat as the contest required it.  I am aware that it is not as easily obtainable in other regions as it is in Philadelphia, and that many mainstream Americans have never even considered eating goat.  Cook this recipe substituting lamb, rabbit, chicken or other meat for the goat if you cannot get goat.  Personally, I do not think beef would be a very good choice for this recipe. 

Island Goat Curry

(c) Dorine Houston, 2006, 2008, all rights reserved 

2 limes
2 tablespoons peanut oil
6 garlic cloves, minced (or to taste)
1 small yellow onion, minced
2 inches fresh ginger, minced
1 stalk lemongrass, peeled and minced
1 lb. goat meat, cut into bite-size pieces
2 sweet potatoes, diced
2 chayotes, cut into lengthwise strips
1/4 fresh coconut, julienne
1/2 cup dark rum
2 cups chicken stock or water
2 yellow bell peppers, roasted and peeled, cut into lengthwise strips
2 red bell peppers, roasted and peeled, cut into lengthwise strips
1/4 can (1 ounce) green curry paste, or to taste
Liquid from 1 coconut 
Salt
3 cups hot cooked brown rice (or more as needed)
2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered lengthwise
1 handful fresh cilantro sprigs 
2 fresh limes, cut into wedges

Scrub limes well.  Use a peeler to remove only the zest.  Set zest aside and juice the limes.  Set juice aside.

Heat peanut oil in a heavy skillet until shimmering.  Add garlic, onion, ginger and lemon grass; cook, stirring, until tender but not beginning to brown.  Add goat meat and reduce heat to medium; cook until all sides are brown but the interior is not cooked.  Add lime zests, coconut, rum and stock/water and simmer 35-40 minutes.  Add sweet potatoes and chayotes; simmer 15 minutes.  Add liquid as needed but take care towards the end of the cooking time, as the final result should be stew rather than soup.  You may also use a little more rum, but take care to taste first.

Meanwhile, dice half the red and yellow pepper strips.

At the end of the simmering time, stir in the pepper dice and some of the curry paste.  Taste and add more curry paste accordingly.  Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in coconut liquid; simmer, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.  Stir in reserved lime juice and remove lime zest.  Turn off heat and taste before adding salt as desired.

Place cooked rice on a platter and make a well in the middle, mounding it around the edges.  Put the goat curry mixture into the well.  To garnish the top of the stew, alternately arrange strips of red and yellow peppers in spoke formation.  Arrange the egg quarters around the edges and arrange or scatter cilantro prettily.  Place lime wedges around the edges of the rice.

Diners can squeeze lime juice over their own portions to taste.