Goats in the Farm and the visiting goats

The goats have been on the farm for about a year now. We got 4 Kiko goats all does September of last year. They were about 6 months old when they got here. We got a couple of bucks earlier this year. Along with the 2 bucks came 2 small does who were 3 months old. Cute little things.

Our herd - the one in the front is the buck!

The visitors have arrived - the 2 white goats but with tan and black just near the head

The does and the bucks spend time on separate paddocks. The first set of does are now mature enough to start reproducing. So in early October, the smaller does were moved to a separate paddock and the bucks and does were put in the same pasture. Now we have to wait a couple of months to see what happens.

Getting to know the new visitors

While the does do not have any bad odor there is no mistaking a buck. They have that odor that will make your noise wrinkle.

One big happy family

Otherwise these goats are fun things to watch. They are playful but for the most part take good care of themselves. Have to supply fresh water and their minerals. They also love the treats we take them. They are strong enough to put their forelegs on us an push us down if we are not watchful.

A couple of does from our neighbor's farm have also come for a tryst with the bucks.

Sometimes there is head butting :)

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Semi Dry /Dry Masala Chicken Roast with Curry Leaves - In a pressure cooker

Like everybody else I hate watching the news these days. It is more depressing than anything I have experienced before. Every time I turn on the TV and watch the antics of some of these people I end up with niggling gnawing worry that simply won't go away. The best way to keep away from this is to keep away from the News! For a news junky like me that is a big punishment.

So what takes up the place of the idiot box and the news? Food of course!

I am sure there are many like me for whom the thought of food is never far away from the mind. So from the time I wake up to pack the kids lunch till I go to bed some sort of recipe is cooking in my head. Sorry for the bad pun!!

So one day I woke up with some delicious thoughts in my head of some nice roasted masala coated chicken. We had already tried this recipe with some lamb which was shared by one of our farm neighbors. I generally prefer goat to lamb or so I thought till I tasted some oh so tender lamb with none of the smell associated with lamb meat. But we can get that kind of lamb meat only occasionally so the next best thing is to try it with chicken.



Recipe in pictures,

In a pressure cooker add the onion, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, coriander, chicken masala, turmeric and chili powders along with the green chilies if using. Cook for 2 whistles and turn off the heat. Let it cool.
In a wide mouthed pan/kadai take oil and add the mustard, cumin seeds and curry leaves, when the mustard seeds pop add the onions and saute till it turns translucent. Add the cooked chicken and saute for a couple of minutes.
Add 1/4 cup of water if you want some gravy and cook for another 6-8 minutes and add more curry leaves and turn off the heat.

I used chicken thighs with bones, since the meat is going to be cooked in the pressure cooker breast
meat should work too.

Semi Dry Masala Chicken Roast
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 lbs of chicken thighs chopped into bite sized pieces
2. 1/2 cup of red onions chopped
3. 4 garlic cloves chopped
4. 1/2 tbsp grated ginger
5. 6-8 green chilies slit
6. 1 small medium sized tomato cut into pieces
7. 2 tsp red chili powder (adjust to taste)
8. 2 tsp black pepper powder
9. 2 tsp chicken masala powder
10. 2 tsp of turmeric powder
11. salt to taste
12. 2 tsp of oil
13. 1 tsp mustard seeds + 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
14. 2 -3 sprigs of curry leaves

Method

1. Wash the chicken and take it in a pressure cooker with the onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies,tomatoes, chili, pepper, turmeric and chicken masala powders.
2. Let the chicken cook for 2 whistles (or 6-8 minutes) and turn off the heat and let it cool down. Now open the lid and add some curry leaves.
3. In a saute pain add oil followed by mustard seeds, cumin seeds and onions, saute till the onions are translucent.
4. Add in the cooked chicken and continue to saute for 2 minutes. The moisture should start to dry out. Check for salt. Turn off the heat if you want a dry roast. Add a half cup of water if you want some gravy (which is what we did) and cook for about 6-8 minutes.
5. Add some curry leaves and turn off the heat.

Serve with rice or bread of any kind.

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