A grand northern Peruvian plate where the cabrito arrives with the full treatment. Chicha de jora, cilantro, and loche build a deep sauce around tender goat, while beans, rice, and yuca complete the combination. Once that sauce starts soaking into the rice, pretending you will not go back for more becomes pointless.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Blend most of the cilantro with the chicha de jora until smooth and pourable. Mix it with the goat, part of the garlic, part of the ají panca, the cumin, black pepper, and part of the salt; marinate for 15 minutes while you chop the onion, trim the yellow chili, and grate the loche squash. The goat should be thoroughly coated rather than swimming in marinade.
Lift the goat from the marinade and reserve the liquid. Heat most of the oil in a large pot over high heat and brown the meat for 5 to 7 minutes, working in batches if necessary, until deeply colored on several sides; remove it. Lower to medium heat and cook most of the onion with another portion of the garlic for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the remaining ají panca, the yellow chili, loche squash, and another portion of the salt; cook for another 4 minutes, until the base is thick, glossy, and fragrant.
Return the goat to the pot with all of the reserved marinade and a small portion of the water. Once it comes to a boil, partially cover and simmer over low heat for 55 to 65 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the meat is very tender when pierced and the sauce looks concentrated and glossy. If it reduces too far before the meat softens, add a few spoonfuls of the water assigned to this step. Stir in another portion of the cilantro during the final minute.
While the goat braises, place the white rice in a medium pot with one quarter of the water and part of the salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 15 to 17 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the grains are tender but separate. Turn off the heat and let it rest covered for 5 minutes before fluffing.
Using the same pot once it is free, cover the yuca with a little over half of the water and add another portion of the salt. Simmer for 16 to 20 minutes, until tender and just beginning to split slightly through the center. Drain it as soon as it reaches that stage so the pieces keep their shape.
Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan and cook another portion of the onion with the remaining garlic for 3 to 4 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Add the cooked beans, the remaining water assigned to this preparation, and another portion of the salt; cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crushing a small amount against the side of the pan, until the beans are creamy while still retaining plenty of whole beans.
Slice the remaining red onion very thinly and toss it with the remaining cilantro, the lime juice, and the last portion of salt; it should taste fresh, crisp, and distinctly tangy. Serve the cabrito with plenty of sauce alongside the rice, beans, and yuca, then add the salsa criolla without burying the meat. If the goat yields to the fork and the sauce clings to the rice instead of running watery, you nailed it. Done! This is the kind of lunch you sit down to hungry and leave wondering when you can have it again. 😌
