Gulai Kambing: Goat Curry (The Celebration Meat)

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg bone-in goat, shoulder or leg, cut into large pieces
• For the bumbu
• 4 shallots, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp coriander seed, toasted
• 1 tsp cumin seed, toasted
• 1 tsp fennel seed, toasted
• 3 red chillies, roughly chopped
• 2 cm fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 2 cm fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced; or ½ tsp ground
• 2 cm galangal, peeled and sliced
• For the curry
• 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
• 400 ml coconut milk, full-fat
• 250 ml water
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, for frying the bumbu
• 1 tsp salt, to taste

Method

1. 1
   Toast the coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, then transfer to a mortar or blender. Combine with the shallots, garlic, chillies, ginger, turmeric, and galangal; grind or blend to a smooth, cohesive paste. The bumbu is ready when no coarse grain remains and the colour is a deep ochre-orange.
2. 2
   Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the bumbu and fry, stirring constantly, until the raw sharpness has cooked out and the paste begins to separate from the oil — the fat visibly pools at the edges of the mass. This is where the dish lives or dies: an undercooked bumbu will leave the curry flat and raw-tasting; a scorched one cannot be recovered.
3. 3
   Add the goat pieces and turn them through the fried bumbu until every surface is coated and the meat has coloured to a deep gold at its edges.
4. 4
   Pour in the coconut milk and water. Add the bruised lemongrass and torn kaffir lime leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and cook until the goat is completely tender — the meat yields without resistance when pressed and begins to draw back from the bone.
5. 5
   Uncover and allow the sauce to reduce until it thickens to a rich, coating consistency. Taste and adjust salt. The finished gulai is fragrant with warming spice, and the coconut sauce clings to the back of a spoon.