Sizzling hot Mongolian goat

Goat meat, or chevon, is a versatile wild harvest and a great addition to the fridge or freezer, especially when taken from younger animals. With its lean texture and mild flavour, goat lends itself to a wide range of dishes. In this recipe, tender backstrap is given a Mongolian-style treatment, bringing rich, savoury Chinese restaurant flavours to a simple and satisfying wild game meal.

Serves: 2 people
Duration: 45 minutes-1 hour

Chef’s note: Young goat is excellent eating, with backstrap ideal for quick, flavour-packed cooking. While Mongolian-style dishes are more Chinese-American than traditionally Mongolian, the sweet, savoury flavours pair beautifully with lean goat meat.

Ingredients

• Approximately 500g goat backstrap, sufficient for 2 people
• Garlic
• Thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger
• Spring onions
• Palm sugar
• Baking powder
• Salt and pepper
• Light soy sauce
• Dark soy sauce
• Oyster sauce
• Sesame oil
• Chinese cooking wine
• Sriracha hot chilli sauce, optional
• Peanut or canola oil.

Method

1. Cut the goat backstrap across the grain into 8mm-thick, bite-sized pieces.
2. Place the meat in a suitable dish. Add 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1½ tablespoons cornflour, half the grated ginger and a few dashes of ground white pepper. Mix well and set aside to marinate while preparing the remaining ingredients.
3. Finely chop 3 cloves of garlic, julienne the remaining ginger and cut the white ends of the spring onions into small pieces. Cut the green ends into 50mm lengths for garnish. Red capsicum strips can also be added for extra flavour and colour.
4. To make the sauce, combine 1 tablespoon each of oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and light soy sauce, along with ½ tablespoon palm sugar and Sriracha to taste. About ½ teaspoon will give a pleasant chilli flavour, though more can be added if preferred.
5. Set aside 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with a little water to thicken the sauce later.
6. Heat enough peanut or canola oil in a wok or pan to deep-fry the meat. Bring the oil to about 180C.
7. Deep-fry the meat in small batches for 45-60 seconds, or until golden brown. Cooking in batches helps maintain the oil temperature and prevents the meat becoming oily. Do not overcook, as the meat will be added back to the hot sauce later.

8. Remove the cooked meat to a side dish. Drain the oil from the wok, leaving about 2 tablespoons.
9. Return the wok to medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger and white ends of the spring onions, then stir-fry for about 1 minute until aromatic. Take care not to burn them.

10. Add the prepared sauce mix, increase the heat to high and bring to a gentle boil, stirring well. Add the cup of water and allow the sauce to reduce slightly.
11. While the sauce is reducing, heat a sizzle plate ready for serving.
12. Add enough cornflour and water mixture to thicken the sauce to a creamy consistency.
13. Return the meat to the wok and stir well, ensuring each piece is evenly coated in sauce.

14. Add ½ tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine and the green spring onion pieces. Quickly combine.
15. Transfer the finished dish to the hot sizzle plate, dust lightly with sesame seeds and serve with steamed or fried rice and stir-fried vegetables.