Beef Massaman Curry
SERVES FOUR
PREP TIME: 20 MINS
COOK TIME: 3.5 HOURS
Ingredients
MASSAMAN CURRY PASTE
5 CLOVES GARLIC
5CM KNOB OF GALANGAL OR GINGER
3 SHALLOTS OR 1 SMALL RED ONION
2 STALKS LEMONGRASS, TOUGH OUTER LAYERS REMOVED BUT RESERVED FOR CURRY
6 SMALL DRIED CHILLIES
2 TSP CUMIN SEEDS
2 TSP CORIANDER SEEDS
2 TSP WHOLE PEPPER CORNS
1 TSP CINNAMON
1 TSP NUTMEG
2 TSP GROUND CARDAMON
1 CUBE SHRIMP PASTE
1 TBSP FRESH LIME JUICE
3 TO 4 TBSP WATER, MORE AS NEEDED FOR CONSISTENCY
FOR THE CURRY
4 TBSP CURRY PASTE
800G CHUCK STEAK
400ML COCONUT CREAM
600 TO 700ML BEEF STOCK
2 CINNAMON STICKS
2 STAR ANISE
RESERVED OUTER LAYERS OF LEMONGRASS
3 LIME LEAVES
50G TAMARIND PASTE
1 TBSP SUGAR
2 TBSP FISH SAUCE
1/4 CUP LIME JUICE
GENEROUS PINCH SALT
1 BROWN ONION, SLICED
500G DUTCH CREAM POTATOES
2 CARROTS, PEELED AND ROUGHLY CHOPPED
TO SERVE
1/2 CUP TOASTED AND CRUSHED PEANUTS
CRISPY SHALLOTS, TO SERVE ON RICE
COOKED RICE
TORN CORIANDER LEAVES
THINLY SLICED SPRING ONION
SLICED CHILLI
FRESH LIME WEDGES
CHARRED ROTI
Utensils
CAST IRON POT
FOOD PROCESSOR
MORTAR AND PESTLE
SHARP KNIVES
SMALL & MEDIUM FRY PAN
RICE COOKER OR MEDIUM SAUCEPAN FOR COOKING RICE
Method
IF MAKING PASTE FROM SCRATCH, TOAST YOUR CUMIN SEEDS, CORIANDER SEEDS AND WHOLE BLACK PEPPERCORNS IN A SMALL FRY PAN FOR A MINUTE OR SO, OR UNTIL FRAGRANT. REMOVE FROM HEAT AND SET ASIDE
ADD YOUR ONION OR SHALLOTS TO THE FRY PAN, ENSURING A GOOD BIT OF CHAR ON ALL SIDES. ADD YOUR GALANGAL (OR GINGER), GARLIC AND TOSS FOR A FEW MINUTES. REMOVE FROM HEAT
REPEAT WITH THE CHILLI FOR A MINUTE OR SO. REMOVE FROM HEAT TO LET COOL BEFORE CUTTING TOPS AND DESEEDING
ADD CHILLI TO FOOD PROCESSOR FIRST AND BLITZ UNTIL NICE AND FINE
ADD ALL OTHER PASTE ELEMENTS TO THE PROCESSOR WITH THE WATER AND BLITZ UNTIL NICE AND SMOOTH. ADD MORE WATER IF REQUIRED
PREHEAT OVEN TO 160 DEGREES FAN FORCED
HEAT A TABLESPOON OF OIL IN YOUR CAST IRON POT AND BROWN YOUR BEEF ON BOTH SIDES FOR A FEW MINUTES. REMOVE FROM HEAT
ADD YOUR SLICED ONION, COOKING UNTIL THEY START TO SWEAT. ADD THE RESERVED LEMONGRASS, CINNAMON STICKS AND STAR ANISE. TOSS TOGETHER
ADD YOUR CURRY PASTE, COOKING OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES UNTIL UNTIL FRAGRANT
ADD YOUR COCONUT MILK, TAMARIND PASTE AND LIME JUICE
STIR TO COMBINE BEFORE ADDING YOUR STOCK
BRING TO THE BOIL, THEN REDUCE HEAT
ADD YOUR STEAKS BACK IN, TOP WITH LIME LEAF, PLACE LID ON AND POP INTO THE OVEN
AN HOUR OR SO LATER, REMOVE FROM OVEN AND STIR THROUGH YOUR POTATOES AND CARROT
ABOUT ANOTHER 2 HOURS LATER, REMOVE AND SEE HOW THE MEAT IS GOING AND LIQUID LEVEL IS TRACKING
COOK UNCOVERED FOR A FURTHER 15 TO 20 MINS IF REQUIRED
COOK YOUR RICE, TOAST YOUR PEANUTS FOR A FEW MINUTES, BEFORE CRUSHING THEM IN A MORTAR AND PESTLE
REMOVE POT FROM OVEN AND AT THIS POINT YOUR CURRY SHOULD BE NOT TOO RUNNY BUT NOT TO THICK AND THE MEAT WILL FALL APART WITH A FORK
CHAR YOUR ROTI OVER THE FLAME OR IN A FRY PAN UNTIL GOLDEN ON BOTH SIDES
DIVIDE COOKED RICE BETWEEN BOWLS BEFORE TOPPING WITH CURRY. FINISH WITH YOUR DESIRED SERVING ELEMENTS AND ENJOY!
