This authentic and aromatic Indian goat curry recipe will delight your tastebuds. With a rich gravy and perfectly tender goat meat, you are certain to be left wanting more! Our easy step-by-step guide walks you through the slow-cook stove top method, to produce delicious results every time.
Serve with our coriander yoghurt and homemade roti for a tasty Indian feast.
Let's get cooking!
Like our popular Fijian chicken curry, this dish is rich in flavour yet simple to make. We think you will love the mix of spices and aromatics in this recipe and how easy it is to create deliciously tender goat meat.
Cooking for family and friends, our best advice is to cook extra as this is sure to be popular. And the leftovers and even better the next day!
Did you know in South Asian, Caribbean and Indian cuisine, goat curry is referred to as mutton curry? We learnt something new researching this article (which is always cool).
We call sheep meat mutton, but in many parts of the world, they refer to goat meat as mutton! Which makes so much more sense now when you look at mutton recipes haha.
Don't miss our delicious slow cooked venison osso buco, for those of you that love game meat!
Jump to:
About goat meat.
Goat meat is a popular protein in many parts of the world like the Middle East and Asia, but is less common in Western cuisine. But we found once we tried it, we definitely wanted more.
Goat meat is packed with protein, has a great flavour profile and is really versatile.
1. Versatile
Goat meat known for its tender texture and rich flavours. It works well in stews, curries, roasts, or even grilled to perfection, goat meat easily adapts to various cooking styles and spices. Its unique taste lies somewhere between beef and lamb but with its own distinct character.
2. Nutritional Benefits
It is an excellent source of lean protein while being lower in fat than beef or lamb. Additionally, it contains important minerals like iron, zinc, phosphorus, and vitamin B12 – all crucial for maintaining good health.
3. Sustainability
Goats are hardy animals that can thrive in challenging environments without requiring excessive resources like water or feed compared to larger livestock species such as cattle.
What cut of goat meat is best for curry?
For goat curry, we recommend using a cut that works well with slow cooking, like shoulder or leg.
But depending on where you purchase your goat meat, you might not have a choice with the cut. Some places sell it as chopped-up pieces of meat, bone-in or out.
If it’s an option for you, use bone-in meat as this will add additional flavour.
Cooking method.
Our goat curry recipe uses a slow-cooked stove top method, we love the depth of flavour and perfectly tender goat meat that this method creates.
You can also use a pressure cooker or instant pot for a delicious curry too.
More delicious curry recipes.
Ingredients
- Diced goat meat - shoulder or leg work best for slow cooking.
- Cooking oil - Canola or vegetable oil
Whole spices -
- Black cardamom pods
- Cinnamon stick
- Star anise
- Black mustard seeds
- Curry leaves
- Fennel seeds
- Coriander seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Fenugreek seeds
You should easily be able to find most of these spices at the supermarket.
Fresh aromatics -
- Garlic cloves - We highly recommend fresh as this will be blended along with the ginger to create a paste.
- Ginger - Same as garlic recommendation, fresh is best.
- Onion
- Green chillies
Dried spices-
- Ground cumin
- Ground coriander
- Kashmiri chilli powder - Mild and sweet in flavour this chilli powder is well worth sourcing if you can find it in your local area. We buy it from our local Indian supermarket. Alternatively, you can substitute it will a very mild chilli powder and adjust to taste.
- Garam masala powder - a classic warming Indian spice mix that should be available to your local supermarket.
- Turmeric powder
Liquids-
- Tomatoes - blended to a puree
- Natural unsweetened yogurt - Greek yogh
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make goat curry
The secret to an amazing goat curry is creating a fragrant spice base and then letting the meat slow cook to perfection while the flavours develop! Seriously yum!
Create a flavour base.
In a large heavy based pan, add the oil and warm through the whole spices, until the mustard seeds start to pop.
Add the garlic and ginger paste for a few minutes, then add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions turn to a light golden colour. About 10 minutes.
Chef tip - stir occasionally to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the base of the pan.
Add the goat meat and slow cook.
Next, add the dried spices, mix well and cook for a few minutes. Add the tomato puree and cook off the moisture. Now add the goat meat and stir well coating the meat with the spices.
Add the yoghurt and enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a simmer and slow cook for 3-4 hours or until the goat meat is tender.
Reduce the sauce to a gravy consistency and season to taste.
Tips from the chef.
- The initial stages of cooking the spices and aromatics are important for building flavour so take your time here.
- While the dish is simmering keep an eye on the water levels in the pot. Add a little extra water if required.
- Once the goat meat is tender, the sauce may need to be reduced a little further. If so turn up the heat and let the liquid reduce down to the desired consistency.
Serving suggestions.
Turn this Indian goat curry into a feast and serve it with homemade roti or naan bread. And a delicious cooling side like our coriander yoghurt or raita. Add a vegetable dish like garlic green beans or Bombay aloo. Or simply enjoy it with a bowl of steamed rice.
Storage
This goat curry is one of those dishes that develops flavour as it sits. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Re-heat till piping hot and enjoy!
Variations
There are many variations that would work well with this curry base.
Keep the protein the same but add some additional ingredients for example:
- Goat and potato curry
- Goat and spinach curry
- Goat and chickpea curry
Or try using the same curry base with a different protein, the goat could be switched for chicken, lamb or beef.
Love this dish? Please leave us a review below. And come join us on social, tag us in your delicious photos Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. Hungry for more deliciousness? Subscribe to our newsletter, to receive our latest e-recipe book and never miss another ATK recipe!
Our goal is to share simple, tasty dishes created by Chef Shane and partner, Sara. Using Shane's understanding of flavours and knowledge of food, to teach and inspire you to create delicious food everyday and gain a new level of confidence in the kitchen. Sara understands what it's like preparing weekly dinners for a busy family of five and likes to create dishes that are easy, full of flavour, that the whole family will enjoy.
Whether you are an experienced cook or a beginner this Indian goat curry recipe is simple to follow and will produce delicious results!
Happy cooking!
Recipe
Indian goat curry
Ingredients
Goat curry
- 1 kg Diced goat meat See note 1)
- 100 ml Canola oil
- 2 Black cardamom pods
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 2 Star anise
- 1 teaspoon Black mustard seeds
- 8 Curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon Coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
- 10 Cloves of garlic - peeled
- 1 Thumb size piece of ginger - peeled
- 1 Onion - finely sliced
- 2 Green chillies - cut in half
- 2 teaspoon Ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon Ground coriander
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 3 teaspoon Garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 2 Tomatoes - blended to a puree
- ½ cup Natural unsweetened yogurt
- Water to cover
Coriander Yoghurt (optional)
- 2 Bunch Fresh coriander
- 1 Small bunch mint leaves
- ½ Cup natural unsweetened yogurt
- ½ Lemon juice only
- 1 Clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prep all the ingredients.
- Put the peeled garlic cloves and ginger into a mortar and pestle, (or mini chopper), and blend or pound into a paste.
- Place a medium to large pot onto a medium heat. Add the oil then add the cardamom, cinnamon stick, star anise, black mustard seeds, curry leaves, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and warm through in the oil until the mustard seeds start to pop.
- Add the garlic and ginger paste and cook in the oil for a couple of minutes then add the sliced onion and a good pinch of salt.
- Cook the garlic, ginger and onion until a light golden color about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the pan base.
- Now add the green chillies and the dry spices, stir the spices through the onion for a couple of minutes to toast and release the flavor. Add the tomato puree and cook away the moisture.
- Now add the goat meat and stir through the spices. Add the natural yogurt and enough water to just cover the meat.
- Bring to a simmer, cook at a simmer for about 3-4 hours or until the goat meat is tender.
- Watch the water level and add a little more water if needed during the cooking process.
- Reduce the sauce to a gravy consistency and season with a good pinch of salt.
Coriander Yoghurt (optional but highly recommended)
- Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan to release the flavor.
- Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Serve with fresh roti and enjoy!
Leave your reviews, comments and questions below.