Massaman Curry

beef

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: pork

Chicken is leaner, and pork is often less expensive.

coconut milk

🥗Healthier: light coconut milk

💰Cheaper: evaporated milk

Light coconut milk reduces calories, while evaporated milk is more budget-friendly.

massaman curry paste

💰Cheaper: homemade curry paste

Homemade versions can be cheaper and tailored to personal taste.

peanuts

🥗Healthier: almonds

💰Cheaper: sunflower seeds

Almonds provide healthy fats, while sunflower seeds are often less expensive.

Remove reedy outer layers and trim lemongrass, reserving trimmings for beef.

Place beef ingredients in a medium saucepan, ensuring liquid almost covers beef.

Add lemongrass trimmings and bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until beef is fork tender.

Remove beef and set aside liquid if there's too much.

Char eschalot, garlic, and galangal in a hot skillet until nicely charred, then remove.

Char dried chillies for a few seconds until charred, then remove.

Grate galangal, peel garlic, and prepare chillies by breaking them in half and discarding seeds.

Toast dried spices in the skillet until fragrant, then transfer to a bowl.

Place chillies in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped.

Add galangal, lemongrass, toasted spices, and water to the processor and blitz until smooth.

Heat oil in a pot, add curry paste, and cook until thick and fragrant.

Add coconut milk and stir to incorporate.

Add cinnamon, star anise, and reserved beef braising liquid, then simmer for 3 minutes.

Stir in fish sauce, tamarind, and sugar, then add potatoes and cook until tender.

Add beef and simmer until sauce has reduced and thickened.

Adjust seasoning to taste, ensuring a balance of sweet, salty, and sour notes.

Serve over jasmine rice, garnished with peanuts and optional crispy shallots and fresh chillies.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens