Cabri massalé

Brown the goat. Pat the goat dry and brown it in the oil in batches, transferring browned pieces to a bowl. Continue for about 15 minutes. The goat has browned edges while the pot fond is dark brown rather than burnt. Dry meat and small batches promote browning.

Bloom the Réunion spices. Lower the heat and soften the onion, garlic and ginger, then stir in the massalé, turmeric, curry leaves and chilli just long enough to smell toasted spice without scorching it. Continue for about 10 minutes. The onion is soft and the spice mixture smells fragrant without blackened powder on the pan base. Ground spices need brief fat contact but become bitter if burned.

Bring the braise to a quiet simmer. Return the goat, add the water and salt, bring to a gentle simmer and partly cover. Continue for about 5 minutes. Temperature target: 95 °C. The liquid reaches a quiet simmer with small bubbles rather than a hard rolling boil. Gentle heat starts the braise without toughening the exterior.

Cook until fork-tender. Simmer slowly until the goat is fork-tender and the liquid has reduced to a shallow, spice-rich sauce. Continue for about 100 minutes. Temperature target: 95 °C. A fork enters the meat easily and the cubes yield without springing back. The sauce clings lightly to the goat and is no longer watery. Long moist heat tenderizes shoulder while concentrating the spice base. The stew cooks well beyond the 63 °C minimum for whole cuts of goat.

Reduce and finish. Uncover and reduce briefly if needed, then remove from the heat and scatter over the spring onion. Continue for about 5 minutes. The finished sauce coats the meat without a greasy pool and the curry leaves remain aromatic rather than burnt. The last reduction adjusts body without prolonged spice frying.