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1
Pound the Spice Paste
10 Mins
Room temperature, ~20°C (68°F)
Put the turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, garlic, chillies, shallots, salt and oil in a mortar and pound to a coarse, fragrant paste. It should look damp and golden, with the lemongrass broken down into fine shreds rather than long strings.
Pound the fibrous lemongrass first, before the softer ingredients — it takes the longest to break down.
Done when: A thick golden paste that smells of ginger, lemon and chilli, with no large pieces left.
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2
Marinate the Goat
30 Mins
Room temperature, ~20°C (68°F)
Rub the spice paste over every piece of goat until the meat is coated all over, then fold in the basil leaves. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge at 4°C (40°F) for the deepest flavour.
Work the paste into the meat with your hands — a spoon leaves the chunks half-coated and the flavour patchy.
Done when: Every chunk stained golden, with basil leaves tucked between the pieces.
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3
Line and Pack the Bamboo
15 Mins
Room temperature, ~20°C (68°F)
Line each bamboo tube with a strip of softened banana leaf, then pack the marinated goat in tightly, pressing it down so there are no air pockets. Leave about 5 cm empty at the open end and plug it with a folded piece of banana leaf so the juices stay inside.
Pack firmly but do not crush the meat — tight packing keeps the steam in, loose packing lets the juices run out.
Done when: Two tubes packed full to the same level, with the leaf plugs wedged in tight.
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4
Cook Over the Wood Fire
150 Mins
Medium wood fire, ~200°C (400°F)
Build a medium wood fire and lean the bamboo tubes against it at an angle, open ends up, so the flames lick the outside without engulfing them. Turn each tube a quarter-turn every 20 minutes so it cooks evenly, and feed the fire steadily for about 2 hours 30 minutes. The bamboo will char and blacken on the outside — that is normal — while the meat steams in its own juices inside.
Do not let the fire roar: a fierce fire chars the bamboo through before the meat is cooked. Steady, medium heat and regular turning are the whole skill.
Done when: Bamboo blackened outside, steam hissing from the plug, and the meat inside tender enough to pull apart.
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5
Split the Bamboo and Serve
5 Mins
No heat — meat checked at 63°C (145°F)
Lift the tubes off the fire with tongs and let them rest for 3 minutes. Check the thickest piece of meat reaches 63°C (145°F) inside, then split each tube lengthways with a heavy knife or machete and push the meat and its juices out onto a serving platter. Serve at once, while it is steaming.
Split the bamboo on the platter, not over the fire — the juices that run out are the sauce, and you want every drop.
Done when: Meat that is golden, juicy and pulls apart easily, with the herbs still bright green among it.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Push the meat out of the split bamboo onto a warm platter, spoon over every drop of the cooking juices, and serve at once with rice while the smoky, herby steam is still rising.
Timor-Leste
1h 5m
France
Vietnam