Nepalese goat curry

Nepalese cuisine combines elements of Indian, Chinese, and Tibetan cooking along with an assortment of herbs and spices. The secret to success for this recipe is to add small amounts of water a few times during the simmering process. Let the water work as a reducing agent to blend and seal in all the flavours and fragrances.

Like most curries, stews, and braised meat recipes, this dish will taste even better the next day. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days, or freeze the goat curry for up to two weeks. Serve this curry with steamed rice or roti.

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp (60 mL) canola oil
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) cumin seeds
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp (30 mL) minced ginger
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) turmeric
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) coriander
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) curry powder
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 10 oz (285 g) boneless goat meat, fat removed, in 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) garam masala
• 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
• 1 tsp (5 mL) fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh cilantro leaves

Method

Heat canola oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium-high, then add mustard and cumin seeds and brown for 30 seconds. Stir in onions, garlic and ginger and cook until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Increase the heat to high, pour in tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid reduces. Stir in turmeric, coriander, curry powder, black pepper and bay leaf, then add goat meat and stir gently until evenly coated. Slowly add 1/2 cup water, mix well, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until a thin layer of oil coats the surface.

Stir in garam masala, add 1/4 cup water, mix well, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add another 1/4 cup water, stirring it into the meat, then cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add a final 1/4 cup water, cover and cook until meat is fork-tender and the sauce is thick and almost forms a paste. Season with salt and lime juice, cover and simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow it to rest for an hour or overnight to allow the flavours to meld. When ready to serve, gently reheat the curry on medium heat, transfer to a large serving bowl and garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Adapted from East Meets West: Traditional and Contemporary Asian Dishes from Acclaimed Vancouver Restaurants by Stephanie Yuen (Douglas & McIntyre 2012). Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.