Iguana in Curry Sauce

Iguana is considered a delicacy, and you might find someone in your yard during dry season trying to catch one that just ran across the street. Okay, we've never tried it, but I do have a recipe for it! Maybe we'll try it someday…

1 Iguana
5 Tbsp. Lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Curry powder
3 Cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
Leaves from 1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small hot pepper, chopped fine
2 chicken bouillon cubes or 2 tsp. bouillon powder
2 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
2 tomatoes, chopped
salt and pepper

Cleaning the Iguana

Hang the iguana by the head. Cut off the feet and the crest on the back. Grab the skin with both hands at the back where you cut the crest off, and pull it towards the front until it all comes off. Cut off the tail. Cut the chest cavity open and remove the entrails. Take it down and cut off the head. Wash the iguana thoroughly. Cut it into pieces and put it in a bowl of water with the lemon juice and 1 tsp. salt. Stir. Let it sit for ½ hour.

Cooking

Take the meat out of the water, pat it dry and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok. Add the garlic and curry powder. Stir for about a minute.

Add the meat, tomatoes and onions. Continue stirring.

Add ½ cup water, the celery leaves, hot pepper and bouillon cubes (crushed) or powder.

Turn the heat down, and let the meat stew for ½ hour, adding more water as necessary.