Adapted from a recipe by Hank Shaw
In Jamaica, the words ‘curry’ and ‘goat’ go hand in hand. A staple dish, Jamaican goat curry is bright turmeric yellow, and contains unusual spices such as allspice and pimento. It is traditionally cooked with scotch bonnet peppers instead of chili peppers.
Serves 8-12
Ingredients
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
1 tablespoons whole mustard seeds
1 tablespoons whole anise seeds
1/2 tablespoon whole fenugreek seeds
1/2 tablespoon whole allspice berries
2 1/2 tablespoons ground turmeric
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1.5 kg goat (can use lamb or beef if you can’t find goat)
Salt
2 onions, chopped
1-2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chilis, seeded and chopped
A 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
1-2 cans coconut milk
1 425 g can of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp dried thyme
3-4 cups water
5 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Method
Combine the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, anise seeds, fenugreek
seeds and allspice berries in a frying pan. Toast over medium heat until the colour of
the spices slightly darkens, and the spices are very fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove
the spices from the frying pan, 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. You will need at least 6 tablespoons of spices for this stew, and you can kick it up to 8-9 depending on how spicy you like it.
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.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Mix in 2 tablespoons of the curry powder and heat until fragrant.
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.)
Add the onions and chilli 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.
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.
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 ready. Taste for salt and
add some if it needs it. 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 beans.
Jamaican Rice and Beans Recipe
Serves 6-8
The chili is cooked whole with the rice and is there just for a bit of flavour. It doesn’t
make the rice hot at all, as it stays whole and you discard it at the end.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups long-grain rice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 cup water
1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian option)
2 cups coconut milk
1 425 g can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 whole Scotch bonnet chili (can substitute a whole habanero)
Lime (optional)
Method
1. Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 4-5
minutes, until they begin to brown on the edges.
2. Add the garlic and rice, stir well and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
3. Add the grated ginger, salt, water, stock and coconut milk and stir well. Add the
kidney beans and sprinkle the thyme over everything. Add the whole chili; it will season
the rice much like a bay leaf would. Bring to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and
cover.
4. The rice should be done in about 15-20 minutes, depending on the type of rice you
are using (some long grained rice takes longer to cook). Check after 15 minutes. Once
done, remove from heat and cover for 10 minutes. To serve, fluff with a fork. Sprinkle
with a little lime juice if you want. Discard the chili (or eat it, if you dare!)