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Big portions - and the amount of food chefs are notorious for wasting in their restaurants - can be excessive. Even water is used too much. The health department requires high-temperature dishwashers and chemical sanitizing, and dictates the exact temperature of the walk-in fridges.

Regulations are, of course, necessary, but it can be too much. Personally, I find it all a bit gluttonous.

I think as chefs we should be conscientious about portions and use better-quality ingredients. The higher cost of buying from the most reputable farmer can easily be offset by managing the size of the dishes.

At my restaurant a few summers ago, we implemented a practice of saving the water coming back from the tables in a bucket, then using it at the end of the night to water the plants outside. Even if I could save two or three buckets of water daily, I felt it was worth it.

The luxury of running water should not be taken for granted. I come from a country where, in most parts, there is a ration on water. Hotels and banquet halls here waste a great deal by pre-pouring the water and putting bread on the tables. So much of it goes to waste.

Chefs should take responsibility and help bring issues of conscientious living to other people's attention.

Sometimes, customers try to throw their weight around to get a table ahead of others. I have even been asked to take a bribe for a table. I have told those kinds of people that they are no more important than anyone else.

It's not for me to preach to anybody about how conscientious to be, but it is up to me to showcase my passion and stick to my rules about how I run my business.

The recipe this week is a little labour intensive, but it's worth it - incorporating a great mix of spices and the technique of braising or slow cooking in the oven.

Oven-braised goat meat in fennel and kalonji curry

What you need

Goat meat

1 pound leg of goat meat

2 pounds tomatoes, chopped (about 4 large)

2 medium onions, chopped

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon garam masala

4 cups water

Fennel and kalonji curry

2 tablespoons fennel seeds

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon kalonji

1 teaspoon ajwain

1/2 cup canola oil

3 cups puréed tomatoes (6 large)

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

41/2 cups water

What you do

Goat meat

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Trim off and discard the fat from the leg of goat meat. Place leg in a large roasting pan and mix in tomatoes, onions, salt, cayenne, black pepper, garam masala and water. Cover with a lid or seal tightly with aluminum foil and cook for two hours. Remove the pan from the oven and allow meat to cool.

Fennel and kalonji curry

In a small frying pan, combine fennel seeds, cumin, kalonji and ajwain. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until fennel changes from green to having a yellowish tinge. This will take two to three minutes once the pan is warm. Turn off the heat and pour spices into a bowl to cool for about 20 minutes, then grind in a spice or coffee grinder.

While the spices are cooling, combine oil and tomatoes in a medium-to-large pot on medium-high heat. Add the ground spice mixture, salt, turmeric and cayenne, then stir and cook for five to eight minutes, or until the oil separates from the masala. Add water and stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.

Finish goat meat

Wearing latex gloves, peel goat meat off the bone (make sure you get it all). Discard the bone and stir meat back into the curry in which it cooked. Place the roasting pan on the stove and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Remove the lid and boil for about 10 minutes, until there is enough liquid to keep the goat meat, onions and tomatoes moist, but the mixture is not soupy.

Finish fennel and kalonji curry

Turn on the heat to medium and add goat meat, including the tomato and onion curry in which it was cooked. Mix well, and heat curry until it begins to boil.

Divide curry evenly among eight bowls. Serve immediately.

Serves 8

Vikram Vij is chef and owner of Vij's restaurant in Vancouver.

Beppi's wine matches

If you prefer white, look for something with substantial body and fruit, such as a New World chardonnay or viognier. Widely available in British Columbia, Ontario and elsewhere: Cookoothama Chardonnay from Australia (about $14).

If choosing a red, look for upfront fruit and firm acidity, but nothing too expensive or complex. A malbec from Argentina, carmenere from Chile or shiraz from South Africa should stand up well. Examples: Pascual Toso Malbec from Argentina (about $13) and Arniston Bay Shiraz Merlot from South Africa (about $10).

Beppi Crosariol