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Fiji goat curry
Indo-Fijian goat curry with potato
Goat curry is the dish of Indo-Fijian weddings, Diwali gatherings and Sunday family lunches from Lautoka to Labasa, brought by indentured labourers from India in the 1800s and shaped by Fiji's own curry powder blend. Bone-in goat is browned with onion, garlic, ginger and masala, then braised slowly with potatoes until tender, and eaten with roti or rice and dhal. A common mistake is rushing the onion and masala; they need to fry until the oil separates. Chef's tip: marinate the goat overnight in the fridge with the masala for deeper flavour.
- Total time
- 140 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 10 curry leaves
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 6 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- 3 ¼ cups hot water
- 1 ⅛ lb potatoespeeled and quartered
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rub 3 ⅓ lb bone-in goat (or mutton), cut into pieces with half the 1 ½ tbsp Fijian or Madras curry powder, 1 tsp ground turmeric and 2 tsp salt. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.
10 minStep 2: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat and add 1 tsp brown mustard seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds and 10 curry leaves; let them splutter for 30 seconds.
2 minStep 3: Add 2 onions and fry for 10–12 minutes until deep golden. Add 6 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp fresh ginger and 2 green chillies for 2 minutes.
12 minStep 4: Stir in the rest of the 1 ½ tbsp Fijian or Madras curry powder with a splash of water and fry until the oil separates, then add 2 tomatoes and cook to a paste.
5 minStep 5: Add the goat and fry on a medium-high heat for 10–15 minutes, turning, until browned and coated.
15 minStep 6: Pour in 3 ¼ cups hot water, cover and simmer gently for 1¼ hours, stirring now and then.
75 minStep 7: Add 1 ⅛ lb potatoes and cook, covered, for 25–30 minutes more, until the meat is very tender and comes away from the bone and the potatoes are soft. Stir in 1 tsp garam masala and 2 tbsp chopped coriander and serve with roti or rice.
30 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fiji goat curry take?
- About 140 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of brown mustard seeds?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
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