A northern Peruvian icon braised with chicha de jora, cilantro and loche squash. The young goat turns tender and juicy under a dark green, fragrant, silky sauce with just enough fermented depth to enhance the meat rather than overpower it. With rice and creamy beans waiting to catch every drop, this is the kind of lunch worth slowing down for—and going back for seconds.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Remove the seeds and thick veins from the ají amarillo. Blend it with most of the cilantro and part of the water until smooth and vividly green; reserve the remaining cilantro for the finish. There is no need for more liquid here—the chicha will loosen the stew later.
Season the goat meat with the cumin, black pepper and most of the salt. Heat most of the oil in the pressure cooker and brown the goat in batches for 6 to 8 minutes total, until it develops deeply browned patches; remove it. In the same pot, cook most of the red onion for 7 to 8 minutes, until very soft and beginning to brown. Add most of the ground garlic, the ají panca paste and grated loche squash; cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the aderezo is glossy, fragrant and no longer smells of raw chile.
Return the goat to the pot, add the reserved green sauce and pour in the chicha de jora. Scrape the bottom to release all the browned bits, close the cooker and cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes before opening according to your cooker's instructions; the meat should be tender when pierced but still hold together in pieces.
While the goat is under pressure, heat a small portion of the oil in a medium pot and cook a small portion of the ground garlic for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the white rice, stir for 1 minute, then add most of the remaining water with part of the salt. Once it boils and the liquid drops almost to the level of the rice, cover and cook over low heat for 12 to 14 minutes, until the grains are tender with no free water remaining; turn off the heat and keep covered.
In another pot, heat the remaining oil and cook the remaining red onion and ground garlic for 4 to 5 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Add the cooked beans, remaining water and another portion of the salt; cook for 6 to 8 minutes, mashing a few beans against the side of the pot, until creamy while still retaining plenty of whole beans.
With the cooker open, simmer the seco uncovered over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring carefully, until the sauce is dark green, silky and clings to the meat, neither soupy nor dry. Chop the reserved cilantro, stir it in after turning off the heat and check the seasoning. Serve each portion of goat with plenty of sauce, hot rice and beans. And that's it! If the meat yields easily, the sauce falls thickly and the first aromas are chicha, cilantro and loche, you nailed the northern style—going back for seconds is practically protocol 😌
