Kerala goat ishtu

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Alfred Prasad's Kerala goat ishtu recipe is guaranteed to warm the cockles. Ishtu is a classic dish that has it’s roots in the European heritage of Kerala, and as with many stews, this dish is easily adaptable to lamb, seafood or vegetarian variations. It is traditionally served with appam (also known as hoppers in Sri Lanka) or a fragrant rice pulao.

First published in 2018

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Marinated goat shoulder

Ishtu

Method

1
To begin, place the goat shoulder in a large bowl and pour in the ginger paste, white wine vinegar and a good pinch of salt. Mix well, cover, and allow to marinate in the fridge for 2–3 hours
2
When the goat has finished marinating, start making the ishtu. Heat the coconut oil in a large non-stick saucepan and add the cassia bark, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns, followed by the fennel seeds
3
Sauté for a minute then add most of the sliced shallots (reserving 1 tbsp for later) and the ginger. Sauté over a high heat for a couple of minutes until softened but not coloured
  • 2 shallots, finely sliced
  • 1 knob of ginger, about 2.5cm long, peeled and cut into a fine julienne
4
Add the marinated goat and sear for a few minutes over a high heat. Stir in the green chillies, white pepper and stock
5
Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and cook for approximately 90 minutes, or until the goat is nice and tender. Season to taste with salt
6
20 minutes before the goat is ready, add the potatoes and cook until tender and are just starting to fall apart. Just before serving, add the coconut milk. Stir gently and remove from the heat
7
Heat the ghee in a small sauté pan. Add the reserved sliced shallots and sauté until lightly browned, then add the cashew nuts and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds before pouring over the stew. Check the seasoning and serve hot
  • 2 sprigs of curry leaves, fresh
  • 1 tbsp of ghee
  • 1 tbsp of cashew nuts, split into halves
First published in 2018

Alfred Prasad’s years at Tamarind saw the restaurant awarded one Michelin star, which it retained, and a stack of accolades (including numerous ‘Indian Restaurant Of The Year’ titles).

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