Every country and region has its unique food – taste, flavours and presentation. Anumita tells us about her childhood years in Venezuela and the cuisines she tasted there. She shares another Venezuelan recipe, Chivo en Coco (goat-meat in coconut milk) a lip smacking, delicious dish that you might cook at home. Here’s the secret, in the weekly column, exclusively in Different Truths. 

Chivo means goat-meat and coco means coconut in Spanish. Two rich ingredients with very different flavor combine to make one of the most mouth watering dish.

Childhood food has a way of staying with you throughout adulthood. Its memories give us comfort and help us relive a part of our childhood.

During my stay in the beautiful country of Venezuela during my childhood, I remember my close friend’s mother cooked Chivo en Coco. It was delicious and rich. I remember asking her mother to pack some in a box to eat at home the next day. She obliged.

Later, my mother learnt the recipe so we enjoyed this rich goat meat dish with white rice. Chivo en Coco is very similar to the Indian goat meat curry but has a very different base flavor. Here is the recipe for all of you to try. Hope you enjoy it as I do.

Civo en Coco

Prep time: 15 mins                                                           Cooking time: about 2 1/2 hours

Cuisine: Venezuelan                                                        Type: Main course for dinner/lunch

Ingredients: 

For Marinate:

2 lbs of goat meat (mutton)

1 lemon juice

1big onion chopped fine

4 cloves of garlic crushed

Sal to taste

½ tsp of ground pepper

1tsp of Worcestershire sauce

Oil for marinate

2 tbsps vinegar

For the Gravy:

4 cups of coconut milk

1 ¼ cups onion chopped

½ cup red paprika chopped seeded

2 Aji peppers chopped and seeded

1 cup of chopped tomato

½ tsp of curry powder

Oil for cooking

Method:

Clean and rub the goat meat pieces with lemon. Then mix all the marinade materials and rub it on the pieces of goat meat. Leave it aside for few hours.

In a pan pour oil and add onion, paprika, sweet pepper, tomato, curry powder, stir it till the raw smell is gone.

In a heavy pot boil the coconut milk and keep whisking for about three minutes.

Pour coconut milk on the gravy mix and then add the marinated goat meat pieces.

Cook it on high flame for about ten minutes. Lower the heat and cover it. Cook for one and half hour till the meat is tender.

Stir it frequently so the milk does not lump in the gravy.

Serve with hot white rice or baked pita bread. Add a side of salad to add fresh crunch.

Enjoy delicious and lip smacking Chivo en Coco!

©Anumita Chatterjee Roy

Pix from Net.

Anumita Roy

Anumita Roy is an artist at heart and legal/medical interpreter by profession. She creates word images in her verses and loves to write short stories. Mother of children in the spectrum, she advocates special needs issues in whichever way possible. Born in India, brought up in several countries, makes her a true global citizen. She now lives in the Columbus, Ohio, with her family and follows her passion for writing and advocacy being the Managing Editor of Different Truths.

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