Massaman Beef Curry
by Nigella. Featured in SIMPLY NIGELLAIntroduction
This is another recipe inspired by my Thai travels — see Thai Noodles with Cinnamon and Prawns — and I have cooked it many, many times since. It is essentially a beef and potato stew, with all the comfort that this implies, but the rich mellow flavours bring a vibrancy not immediately conveyed by that description. A massaman curry is a relatively mild curry, so don’t feel that the amount of paste I use will blow you away. I do feel strongly, though, that unless you use authentic Thai pastes, you will not get a curry that truly delivers on flavour.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
This is another recipe inspired by my Thai travels — see Thai Noodles with Cinnamon and Prawns — and I have cooked it many, many times since. It is essentially a beef and potato stew, with all the comfort that this implies, but the rich mellow flavours bring a vibrancy not immediately conveyed by that description. A massaman curry is a relatively mild curry, so don’t feel that the amount of paste I use will blow you away. I do feel strongly, though, that unless you use authentic Thai pastes, you will not get a curry that truly delivers on flavour.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 6
- 2½ teaspoons tamarind paste
- 25 grams palm sugar or soft light brown sugar
- 500 millilitres hot water (from a recently boiled kettle)
- 1 x 400 millilitres can coconut milk
- 140 grams / 125 millilitres massaman curry paste (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 1 kilogram shin of beef off the bone, cut into 4-5cm/2in cubes
- 750 grams waxy potatoes (peeled)
- small bunch Thai basil or coriander (to serve)
- 2½ teaspoons tamarind paste
- 2 tablespoons palm sugar or soft light brown sugar
- 2 cups hot water (from a recently boiled kettle)
- 1 x 14 ounces can coconut milk
- ½ cup massaman curry paste (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 2 pounds beef shank off the bone, cut into 4-5cm/2in cubes
- 1¾ pounds waxy potatoes (peeled)
- small bunch Thai basil or coriander (to serve)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/325°F. Put the tamarind paste and the sugar in a measuring jug and add boiling water to the 250ml/1 cup mark. Stir with a fork to help dissolve the paste and sugar.
- In a large, heavy-based pan or casserole that has a tight-fitting lid — I use one of 24cm/10in diameter — spoon in the cream from the top of the coconut can. Add the curry paste and then heat, stirring every now and again, until bubbling (some of the oil may separate out at this stage, but that's fine). Add the contents of the jug — with its water, tamarind and sugar — add the rest of the coconut milk, along with the salt, and stir to combine, before adding the beef. Stir well, and let it come to a bubble. As soon as it does, clamp on the lid, turn off the heat and transfer to the oven to cook for 2 hours.
- Once it's out of the oven, leave to cool, then refrigerate for at least 1 day, or up to 3 days, to allow the beef to get tender and the flavours in the sauce to develop.
- About half an hour before you want to eat, preheat the oven 200°C/180°C Fan/400°F, and cut the potatoes into similar-sized chunks as the beef, then add them to the pot of curry. Place on the hob, add 250ml/1 cup of boiling water and bring to a bubble, then clamp on the lid and transfer to the oven for 30 minutes, or until the stew is bubbling and hot and the potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with some shredded Thai basil leaves, should you be able to get hold of them, or scatter with chopped coriander, and bring to the table immediately.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/325°F. Put the tamarind paste and the sugar in a measuring jug and add boiling water to the 250ml/1 cup mark. Stir with a fork to help dissolve the paste and sugar.
- In a large, heavy-based pan or casserole that has a tight-fitting lid — I use one of 24cm/10in diameter — spoon in the cream from the top of the coconut can. Add the curry paste and then heat, stirring every now and again, until bubbling (some of the oil may separate out at this stage, but that's fine). Add the contents of the jug — with its water, tamarind and sugar — add the rest of the coconut milk, along with the salt, and stir to combine, before adding the beef. Stir well, and let it come to a bubble. As soon as it does, clamp on the lid, turn off the heat and transfer to the oven to cook for 2 hours.
- Once it's out of the oven, leave to cool, then refrigerate for at least 1 day, or up to 3 days, to allow the beef to get tender and the flavours in the sauce to develop.
- About half an hour before you want to eat, preheat the oven 200°C/180°C Fan/400°F, and cut the potatoes into similar-sized chunks as the beef, then add them to the pot of curry. Place on the hob, add 250ml/1 cup of boiling water and bring to a bubble, then clamp on the lid and transfer to the oven for 30 minutes, or until the stew is bubbling and hot and the potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with some shredded Thai basil leaves, should you be able to get hold of them, or scatter with chopped coriander, and bring to the table immediately.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
Cook curry for 2 hours as per recipe, above, then cool, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours of making. Will keep in fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze cooled curry in an airtight container for up to 3 months, defrost overnight in fridge before reheating as per recipe.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
Cook curry for 2 hours as per recipe, above, then cool, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours of making. Will keep in fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze cooled curry in an airtight container for up to 3 months, defrost overnight in fridge before reheating as per recipe.
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What 2 Others have said
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Posted by paulgarb on 27th November 2024
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Posted by Joyalex on 16th November 2024
Show more commentsHaving seen this recipe ‘float’ by a couple of times on social media AND owning Simply Nigella the book, we tried it this week as a cold weather comforting meal. ‘Spot on’ is our considered opinion - interesting flavours, not so difficult to prepare and cook and very pleasant to eat. We are not usually big fans of Thai food but this got a couple of converts this evening. Thank you
This is my favourite curry especially if you add a boiled egg and some jasmine rice.