Raval Luxury Restaurant and Bar in the heart of Newcastle and Gateshead

WHEN  Newcastle United goal ace Papiss Cisse revealed his favourite dish was goat curry, regional newspaper the Sunday Sun wanted to know what all the fuss was about.
The  newspaper set about finding a restaurant in the Premier League of cuisine to create an authentic goat meat dish . . . so naturally it turned to Raval.
Our chefs came up with a mouth-watering  Goat Korma recipe  that proved so popular with taste testers we decided to put it on the menu as a special dish.
Raval customers who had read the story in the Sunday Sun on April 29th also urged us to make the dish available.
That’s how Curry On Scoring! was born . . . a recipe that’s deadicated to the Magpies’ new top striker.
Although goat meat is not widely used in the UK, it is said to account for 80% of meat consumed worldwide.
What’s more, it’s an extremely healthy option. Many will be surprised to learn that goat meat – or chevon - is lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than chicken but higher in protein, iron and B vitamins.
Raval’s Goat Korma uses ground cashew nuts instead of cream to give the dish a truly authentic taste.
And unlike many heavy but bland kormas on the market, it uses a complex blend of spices that pack something of a punch.
Taste testers Carol Feeley and Gemma Bentley certainly approved.  Carol said: “If I saw goat meat on a menu  I wouldn’t even think of trying it, but this is one of the best curries I’ve tasted.
And Gemma added: “If you hadn’t told me I would have sworn I was eating lamb. It’s delicious and so tender.”
Manager Avi Malik explained that the trick was to slow cook the meat in a special oven, called a Dum Pukht, which gives it a wonderful flavour and texture.
Raval has sourced its goat from a small, organic farm near Morpeth in Northumberland , run by couple June and Martin Whiting.
June says goat is starting to become more popular down south, but has yet to catch on in the North.
She explained: “Goat meat is sold in Harrods and in some supermarkets down south, but for some reason people from this region are reluctant to give it a go.  
“It’s a shame the north is lagging behind because it’s a fabulous meat. I suspect the recession has made people less willing to experiment with something they see as being out the ordinary.”
And she added: “I can certainly see why Raval has put goat meat on the menu as it really suits spices.”