Time does not heal all wounds. I know that I will be vegan for the rest of my life but that can never change that I wasn’t for the first half of my life. It can’t bring back all the animals who suffered and died for my appetite. While I look back and feel shame, I can only go forward and try to atone by advocating veganism and living a compassionate life. I will try and convince everyone that there is no need to eat animals because any dish can be veganized. Any dish.
I ate goat once in my life. Someone brought a curried goat stew to work. I loved the flavors of Jamaican food so I was excited to try it. I didn’t like it. The meat was tough and chewy; I was told it was gamey. Anytime I got curried stew from then on, it was chicken. Today I make Jamaican food, especially Ital food, without any animals.
To date, I have blogged my Jamaican Curried Jackfruit with Chickpeas, Jamaican Soy Curls Curry with BroccoLeaf, and Jamaican Jerk Soy Curls with Rice and Peas. I have plenty of more Jamaican recipes that I have to blog about and you can see more on One Green Planet in my article “How to Make Your Own Jamaican (Ital) Food at Home.“
It wasn’t until after I was vegan and visited an animal sanctuary that I met a goat and got to touch him and pet him and apologize to him. The goat was beautiful and I was in awe of him and his buddies at the sanctuary.
In my article, “10 Animals You Should Love, Not Eat,” I wrote about goats:
“In the Chinese zodiac, goats represent creativity, shyness, introversion and perfectionism. If you’re a Capricorn, maybe you know that “capra” is the root of the word “capricious” which means quirky, whimsical, and fanciful which perfectly describes the cuties that are goats. Goats are highly intelligent, inquisitive and curious. They love to explore everything which is probably why people think they are such trouble-makers. Goats communicate with each other and while they are social, they don’t flock together as much as sheep do. They have great balance and coordination; they can climb trees and jump over 5 feet high! Mother goats are protective and call to their kids to keep them close. Kids love to be close to their mothers and wean after six months.
Unfortunately, the kids don’t get to reach six months or spend what little time they do have with their mothers. These kids are killed when they are babies, less than five months old, when their meat is most tender. Goat meat is common in several cuisines and goat milk has become more and more popular.”
When Upton’s Naturals sent me a couple of coupons so I could try their seitan, I was happy. Until I couldn’t get it anywhere near me. Then I was sad. Months later a friend was going way out of town and I gave him my coupons. He brought me back a box of Traditional Seitan and a box of Bacon Seitan that I used to make my Asparagus Tofu Tartines with Light Hollandaise Sauce.
I spent some time deciding what to make with what is probably the only box of Upton’s Naturals Seitan I’ll ever have. After a lot of thought, I decided to make a vegan version of Jamaican Curried Goat.
The seitan is marinated in tamari, Jamaican curry powder (which is different than regular or Indian curry powder), cumin, thyme and other spices. Then it gets cooked until browned. The hard part comes from setting aside while I make the rest of the stew and not eating it.
The stew has the usual suspects of onions, bell peppers, potatoes and more of the most aromatic, fragrant spices ever! Did I mention I love Jamaican food?
This stew is hearty, warm and comforting. It’s packed with flavor and just enough heat to let you know you’re eating Jamaican food though you can certainly make it as hot as you want. Use scotch bonnet peppers if you can handle it. The sauce that happens from the curry powder is amazing!
The seitan was tender and flavorful, so much better than the poor goat in that first and last goat stew I had. Everyone loved this stew and I was so glad to have had a chance to try Upton’s Naturals Seitan. Check out their web site for more information and where you can purchase their products.
This recipe is my apology and love letter to all goats everywhere. Enjoy!
Vegan Jamaican Curried “Goat” Stew
For the “goat”
1 package Upton’s Naturals Seitan, Traditiona
¼ cup tamari
1 Tbs. Jamaican curry powder
4 garlic cloves, mined
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. allspice
A pinch of red pepper flakes
Water
Vegetable oil, for frying
For the stew
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
2 bell peppers, chopped
3 large potatoes, cut into chunks
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 chile pepper, seeded and minced
3 Tbs. Jamaican curry powder
2 tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. black pepper
Kosher salt to taste
1-15 oz. can diced tomatoes
Vegetable broth or water
Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Cut the seitan into bite-sized chunks. In a bowl or storage container, combine the tamari, curry powder, garlic, cloves, black pepper, cumin, oregano, thyme, allspice and red pepper flakes. Add just enough water so the marinade will cover the seitan. Let the seitan marinate for at least half an hour or up to overnight.
Remove the seitan from the marinade and pat it dry. Heat some oil in a deep saute pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the seitan to the oil in batches and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Continue until all the seitan is browned.
Add more oil to the pan and let it get hot. Saute the onion and bell peppers for 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add the potatoes to the pan and let cook for 3-4 minutes until they brown a bit. Mix in the garlic and chile pepper and toss to coat with the veggies. Mix in the curry powder, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Toss to coat all the veggies with the spices.
The “V” Word: Say it. Eat it. Live it.
Print Vegan Jamaican Curried "Goat" Stew with Upton's Naturals Seitan Author: Rhea Parsons Recipe type: Stew Cuisine: Jamaican Ingredients- For the “goat”
- 1 package Upton’s Naturals Seitan, Original
- ¼ cup tamari
- 1 Tbs. Jamaican curry powder
- 4 garlic cloves, mined
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- ¼ tsp. allspice
- A pinch of red pepper flakes
- Water
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- For the stew
- 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 3 large potatoes, cut into chunks
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 chile pepper, seeded and minced
- 3 Tbs. Jamaican curry powder
- 2 tsp. dried thyme
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1-15 oz. can diced tomatoes
- Vegetable broth or water
- Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
- Cut the seitan into bite-sized chunks. In a bowl or storage container, combine the tamari, curry powder, garlic, cloves, black pepper, cumin, oregano, thyme, allspice and red pepper flakes. Add just enough water so the marinade will cover the seitan. Let the seitan marinate for at least half an hour or up to overnight.
- Remove the seitan from the marinade and pat it dry. Heat some oil in a deep saute pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the seitan to the oil in batches and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Continue until all the seitan is browned.
- Add more oil to the pan and let it get hot. Saute the onion and bell peppers for 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add the potatoes to the pan and let cook for 3-4 minutes until they brown a bit. Mix in the garlic and chile pepper and toss to coat with the veggies. Mix in the curry powder, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Toss to coat all the veggies with the spices.
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