Jamaican Goat Curry

One local Fijian curry to try is goat curry. Goats are prevalent in local Indian cuisine but especially for special functions like weddings as one goat can cost over FJ$350 each. It’s ingredients are similar to the Fijian Chicken Curry on this site but in developing a new goat curry pie for my Malamala Beach Club menu, I discovered a Jamaican recipe that was just not comparable. The lack of spices in the region caused many of the Indian labourer’s recipes to be shortcut and simplified. This local flavor suits a lot of meats like chicken and seafood, but when it comes to a gamey meat like goat or duck, the addition of the sweet spices helps to cut down that richness.

This recipe has more than 12 different spices that combine with the acidity of fresh tomatoes, limes and green papaya (which helps to tenderize the tough meat). Combined with the creaminess of coconut milk, this goat curry recipe is well worth the many hours it takes to cook. Using a pressure cooker will dramatically cut down the cooking time but be mindful to reduce some of the liquid in the recipe to avoid overflowing. Enjoy this recipe inside a flakey pie crust, or serve it with hot rice, roti and a good chutney.

	5kg or 10lb goat meat, boneless or bone-in
	10 large brown onions, chopped
	10 whole tomatoes, chopped
	5 small red chilli, fine chopped (adjust to suit heat)
	2 large green papaya, skin on and smashed
	4 knobs fresh garlic, peeled and chopped
	juice of 6 limes
	1 litre or quart coconut milk
	sea salt (to season)
	6 whole cinnamon quills
	CURRY MASALA POWDER
	3 Tbsp turmeric powder
	4 Tbsp coriander seeds
	2 Tbsp red chilli powder
	3 Tbsp cumin seeds
	4 Tbsp black cardamom pods
	2 Tbsp star aniseed
	4 Tbsp black peppercorns
	2 Tbsp black mustard seeds
	2 Tbsp ginger powder
	1 Tbsp ground nutmeg
	1 Tbsp allspice
	1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1.	Make the curry masala by combining all ingredients in a blender until a fine powder
2.	In a large, non-reactive pot or basin, combine half the onions, chilli, salt, 3/4 of the curry masala, crushed papaya and oil to form a paste.
3.	Add the goat pieces and combine well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight
4.	In a large cooking pot, heat oil and sear goat pieces until brown. Do in batches to avoid the meat from braising instead of frying. Continue until all meat is browned.
5.	Add the remaining onions to the same pot and cook until translucent. Add some water (or red wine!) to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
6.	Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes until tomatoes have released their water
7.	Add the sealed goat pieces and combine well. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes
8.	Add the coconut milk, lime juice, bay leaves and 1 cup of water
9.	Bring the curry to the boil and turn down to simmer. Cover slightly with a lid and cook for at least 2 hours (or until meat is tender). A pressure cooker would help cut down this time significantly.
10.	Add more water if mixture dries too quickly.
11.	Check for seasoning and serve with rice and roti.

The complexity of a Jamaican curry is truly sulubrious

Ingredients

One local Fijian curry to try is goat curry. Goats are prevalent in local Indian cuisine but especially for special functions like weddings as one goat can cost over FJ$350...

Method