Entree: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – Goat Water (Hearty goat meat stew simmered with Caribbean seasonings and flour dumplings)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 2 hrs

Total 2 hrs 25 min

Ingredients

- 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) goat shoulder or leg, bone-in, cut into 2–3 inch (5–8 cm) pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, chopped — about 1 1/2 cups (150 g)
- 4 scallions (green onions), chopped — about 1/2 cup (50 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced — about 1 tbsp (9 g)
- 2 stalks celery, chopped — about 1 cup (100 g)
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped — about 1 cup (130 g)
- 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, whole (leave stem in for heat control) — optional
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme
- 4 whole pimento/ allspice berries, crushed lightly, or 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground allspice
- 2 tsp (10 ml) Worcestershire sauce or 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce for color and depth
- 6 cups (1.4 L) water or enough to cover the meat
- 2 beef or chicken bouillon cubes
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) brown sugar (optional, balances acidity)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) browning sauce or dark soy for color (optional)
- Dumplings:
  - 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
  - 1 tsp (5 g) baking powder
  - 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
  - 3/4 cup (180 ml) water, plus more if needed
  - 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil or melted butter
- Fresh chopped parsley or thyme leaves for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Pat the goat pieces dry and season generously with salt and pepper. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil and brown the goat in batches until richly browned on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped onion, scallions, garlic, celery, and carrots to the pot; sauté until softened and fragrant, about 6 minutes.
3. Return the browned goat to the pot. Add the whole Scotch bonnet pepper (kept whole for milder heat), thyme, crushed pimento, Worcestershire or soy sauce, bouillon cubes, brown sugar, browning sauce if using, and pour in the water to just cover the meat.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently, partially covered, until the goat is very tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Skim any excess fat or foam from the surface occasionally.
5. While the stew simmers, prepare the dumplings: whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir in the oil and water until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. If too dry, add a little more water, 1 tsp at a time.
6. When the meat is almost fork-tender, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Drop spoonfuls or small rolled logs of dumpling dough onto the simmering stew (about 1-inch/2.5 cm diameter pieces). Cover and cook for a further 15–20 minutes until dumplings are cooked through and tender.
7. Remove the whole hot pepper before serving if you prefer less heat. Garnish with chopped parsley or thyme and serve the Goat Water hot with steamed breadfruit, cassava, or rice if desired.