It’s soon to be Dashain, so mutton-lust is at an all-time high. Tens of thousands of goats are coming to the Valley in time for all the Nepalis that will flock outside their local butchers in preparation for their annual celebration.

While many will fall back on old family recipes or opt for off-the-shelf spice mixes, here are some suggestions for how to do the goats justice post-mortem. Don’t just use generic meat masalas, or throw all the offal in at once, roast and blend your own spices and savour the merits of different cuts—go the extra mile, for miles more flavour.

Whether it's whole-roasting an entire leg, extracting the liver for frying, or processing chops to execute a complex Kashmiri dish, this is the most wonderful time of the year for Nepal’s carnivorous folk.

Roasted Goat Leg

Roasting a leg of goat (or lamb) is quite easy, and most importantly, it’s an exciting project that ends up with something ridiculously delicious.

***

Fried Goat Liver

Fried mutton liver, commonly known as “liver fry,” is both popular here in Nepal and in parts of southern India. In addition to being super nutritious—liver is a good source of protein, folic acid and iron—fried liver goes really well with just about anything. Serve it with rice or bread, or instead of bacon or sausage to go with eggs and some greens for brunch. Here's the full recipe.

***

Goat Kabargah

Kabargah is fried mutton ribs—or chops if your butcher doesn’t cooperate—that features as a dish during celebrations in Kashmir. It takes a lot of labour and ingredients to get this right, but once you've made them, you’ll be thankful because the dish is a piece of art in itself. There are various interpretations, so the combinations and kinds of spices people use in this dish varies—some use star anise and rosemary. I decided to go with saffron in mine. Here's the full recipe.

***

Goat Curry

Blackened Goat

For connoisseurs, the most rewarding feeling from Kalo Masu won’t be immediate—it would be a couple of days after the cooking is done, as you pull a tub of leftover kawaf out of the fridge, separate the pieces covered with a layer of fat and ghee, heat it in a shallow pan, and go at it. Here's the full recipe.