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Seco de cabrito
Seco de cabrito: northern Peru's kid goat braised in coriander, chicha de jora and loche squash
Ask anyone in Chiclayo or Lambayeque for the north's great Sunday dish and seco de cabrito comes up first: young goat, marinated in garlic and vinegar, then braised slowly in a deep green sauce of blended coriander, ají amarillo and chicha de jora, with grated loche, the local aromatic squash. The meat turns tender and the sauce is herby, sour and warm. It comes to the table with white rice and frejoles (stewed canary beans) and a sharp salsa criolla. Chicha de jora is a fermented maize beer and contains alcohol; the alcohol-free swap in the ingredients keeps the tang. Lamb shoulder stands in well for kid. People often blend the coriander with the stems discarded, but the stems carry the most flavour, so use the whole bunch. Chef's tip: add half the coriander at the start and half 10 minutes before the end, so the sauce stays bright green.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the marinade
For the braise
To serve
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (6)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Rub 2 ⅞ lb kid goat or lamb shoulder with 6 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
120 minStep 2: Blend 3 ½ oz fresh coriander with 3 tbsp ají amarillo paste and 1 cup chicha de jora to a smooth green purée.
Step 3: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the meat in batches until golden. Lift out.
10 minStep 4: Fry 2 red onions in the same pan over a medium heat until soft and golden.
8 minStep 5: Stir in half of the coriander purée and 10 ½ oz loche squash and cook until the purée darkens slightly.
4 minStep 6: Return the meat with 2 cups water or stock, cover and braise at a gentle simmer, turning the pieces now and then, until the meat is tender enough to pull off the bone.
70 minStep 7: Stir in the rest of the coriander purée and 5 ½ oz frozen peas and simmer uncovered until the sauce is thick and green and the peas are tender.
10 minStep 8: Serve with 1 ¾ lb cooked white rice and 1 ⅓ lb stewed canary or pinto beans.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does seco de cabrito take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of red wine vinegar?
- Sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar, same amount.
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