Beef Massaman Curry
Serves: 4
A rich and fragrant Beef Massaman Curry which is perfect for cold and cosy nights. Recipe also for slow cooker and pressure cooker.
Ingredients
For the Beef Massaman Curry
- 1 kg (2 lb) chuck steak, or stewing steak, see Kitchen Notes
- sea salt
- black pepper, freshly cracked
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 brown onion, thickly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) massaman curry paste
- 500 ml (2 cups) coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons chicken stock powder, OR 2 chicken stock cubes
- 1-2 teaspoons sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 750 ml (3 cups) boiling water
- 2-3 Makrut lime leaves
- 500 g (1 lb) potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
To Serve
- Steamed Jasmine Rice
- coriander, (cilantro), finely chopped
- red chillies, finely sliced
- coconut cream
Instructions
- Cut the meat into large chunks, about 5-8 cm in length.
- Season the meat generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large pan (I like to use cast iron) with some oil over medium-high heat.
- Brown the meat in batches, and set the meat aside on a large plate or tray.
- If there is too much fat in the pan from browning the meat (some fat might be rendered from the meat during cooking), remove the fat so that there is only a few tablespoons in the pan.
- Add the onion and garlic.
- Sauté the onion and garlic until they have softened.
- Add the curry paste.
- Cook the curry paste for a few minutes until it starts to separate and smell fragrant.
- Add the coconut milk and stir it into the curry paste.
- Add the chicken stock powder, sugar, fish sauce, tamarind paste, Makrut lime leaves and water.
- Give everything a good mix and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Return the meat to the pan.
- Add the potatoes.
- There should be enough liquid to just cover all of the ingredients. If not, add a bit more boiling water.
- Simmer gently over low-medium heat for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. The timing will depend on the size of the pieces of meat.
- Towards the end of the cooking time, if there is a lot of excess fat in the pan (which can happen depending on the type of meat you have used), remove the excess fat by skimming it from the surface.
- Taste the sauce for seasoning.
- Serve the curry with Steamed Jasmine Rice, garnished with coriander (cilantro) and red chillies. Serve some coconut cream on the side for those who want their dish less spicy and/or with more richness.
Kitchen Notes
- INSTRUCTIONS FOR SLOW COOKER
* Follow the same instructions as for the stove top.
* The timing may vary depending on the size of the pieces of meat.
* Cook on low (95°C/203°F) for 5-6 hours.
* Cook on high (105°C/221°F) for 4-5 hours.
* Cook at 115°C/239°F for 3-4 hours.
* After the cooking time, you may want to simmer the curry for 10-15 minutes without the lid to thicken the sauce slightly. You can speed up the process by mashing a few potatoes into the sauce. - INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRESSURE COOKER OR INSTANT POT
* Follow the same instructions as for the stove top.
* Take care to not add more liquid than stated on the pressure cooker (usually 2/3).
* Cook on high heat for 45 to 60 minutes. The timing may vary depending on the size of the pieces of meat.
* After the cooking time, you may want to simmer the curry for 10-15 minutes without the lid to thicken the sauce slightly. You can speed up the process by mashing a few potatoes into the sauce. - WHAT TYPE OF BEEF TO USE
* For a beef stew like this Beef Massaman Curry, you need to use a cut of beef which is suitable for slow-cooking, such as chuck steak, beef shoulder or beef shin.
* I recommend buying the stewing beef in one large piece, and slicing it up yourself into large portions. The large portions of meat take a bit longer to cook, but they are nicer for serving and more pleasant to eat than if you were to cook this dish with lots of small pieces of meat.
* Beef short ribs would also work in this recipe, but you will need to increase the cooking time for meat on the bone. - LEFTOVERS
* Fridge: Keep in a covered container for 3 to 5 days.
* Freezer: Store in vacuum-sealed bags or freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Omit the cooked potatoes because they do not freeze well. - OVEN TEMPERATURES
All recipes on this website have been tested on an induction stove and/or with a conventional oven (i.e. an oven without fan). All recipes on this website use temperatures for a conventional oven, unless otherwise mentioned. Convection ovens (i.e. fan-forced ovens) are typically 20°C/70°F hotter than conventional ovens, but please check your manufacturer’s handbook. - CONVERSIONS
To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.