Beef massaman curry — Thai curry with potatoes, peanuts and aromatic spices

Massaman curry (kaeng matsaman) is one of Thailand’s most famous curries, with roots going back to the 17th century, when Persian and Malay influences mixed with Thai cuisine at the court of Ayutthaya. Unlike other Thai curries, massaman is relatively mild and sweet, with a pronounced aroma of cumin, cinnamon and cardamom. The recipe below uses beef, potatoes and peanuts — the classic combination.

INGREDIENTS (for 4 people):

• 700 g beef (lean meat), cut into pieces
• 400 ml coconut milk (1 can)
• 3 tablespoons massaman curry paste
• 3 medium potatoes, cut into large pieces
• 1 large onion, cut into wedges
• 50 g roasted peanuts
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• 2 tablespoons tamarind juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3–4 cloves
• 2 star anise
• 3–4 cardamom pods

PREPARATION STEPS:

1. In a deep pot, heat half of the coconut milk (the thick cream part) over medium heat and fry the massaman paste for 2–3 minutes until it releases its aroma.
2. Add the pieces of beef and sauté for 5 minutes until browned on all sides.
3. Pour in the rest of the coconut milk, the cinnamon, cloves, star anise and cardamom; simmer gently with the lid on for about 1 hour until the meat softens.
4. Add the potatoes and the onion; continue simmering for another 25–30 minutes until the potatoes soften.
5. Season with fish sauce, palm sugar and tamarind juice; adjust the taste — it should be balanced between sweet, salty and sour.
6. Remove the whole spices (cinnamon, anise), sprinkle over the roasted peanuts and serve hot with basmati rice.

Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: about 1 hour 30 minutes. Servings: 4.