Kabritu Stoba

Kabritu stoba is goat stew, and for many Arubans it is the most beloved of all the island's stews. Kabritu is the Papiamento word for goat, an animal well suited to Aruba's dry, cactus-studded interior, and its meat is prized for the deep flavour it gives a slow stew. Bone-in pieces are browned and then simmered for hours with onion, garlic, tomato, sweet pepper, and a touch of hot pepper until the meat slides off the bone and the gravy turns rich and dark.

The long, gentle cooking is the whole point. Goat needs time to become tender, and as it cooks the bones release flavour into the sauce. Cooks often brighten the pot with lime, a little nutmeg, or a splash of Worcestershire, and the finished stew is savoury and aromatic rather than sharply spicy. It is celebration food as much as comfort food, the kind of dish made in a big pot for a family gathering or a fiesta.

How to eat it

Kabritu stoba is served with a starch to catch the gravy. Funchi is traditional, and a soft pan bati flatbread is a popular alternative for mopping up the sauce.

• Goat is genuinely local to Aruba's arid landscape of cactus and divi-divi trees, so kabritu dishes are a true taste of the island rather than an import.
• Look for it at local restaurants and at weekend and festival gatherings around Santa Cruz and Oranjestad.

If you want to eat the way Arubans celebrate, order kabritu stoba with funchi and take your time. The slow-cooked goat is worth a relaxed lunch.