Massaman curry is a household name in Thailand and is a Southern Thai recipe with Muslim influence dating back to 16th century. Its unique tangy tinge coming from tamarind and mouth watering aroma from a blend of spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves etc. makes it an excellent meal accompaniment. Cuisine – Southern Thai
Taste – Tangy & spicy
Category – Non Vegetarian
Preparation time – 30 minutes
Cooking Time – 45 minutes
Servings – 2
Ideal for – Dinner
Ingredients required :
Beef – 400 grams, cut into chunks & washed.
Potato – 1 cup, peeled and cut into medium bite-size cubes
Onions – 1 cup, sliced or whole shallots
Massaman curry paste – 1 tablespoon
Coconut milk – ½ Cup
Tamarind – 1 tablespoon
Cinnamon – 1 stick
Cardamom – 2 pinches
Bay leaves – 2
Salt 1/2 tablespoon
Sugar 2 tablespoons
Cashew – 1/4 cup
How to cook :
Make ready all the items as shown above.
Take a little oil in a pan and heat on medium flame. Add Massaman curry paste and fry for couple of minutes to let the fragrance evolve. Keep stirring to avoid burning.
Put beef chunks to the mix and fry till the pieces are sealed from outside. Takes 2-3 minutes.
Pour coconut milk to the pan. Add some water so that the pieces are submerged in the gravy. Let the mix simmer, about 5 minutes, till the oil separates and a reddish film of oil is seen floating on top.
Add rest of the spices, salt and sugar to the broth and cook for about 40 minutes or till the beef is soft & tender.
Now put potatoes & onions. Continue cooking and add tamarind, cashews & bay leaves. Add little more water if the curry is getting dry. By now the curry would be looking nice and brown and lot of oil floating on top. This indicates that our dish is ready to be savored.
Transfer to a bowl and serve hot along with a generous portion of rice or breads with ajaat as an accompaniment.
Suggested variations : Lamb or chicken in place of beef, peanuts in lieu of cashew, lemon juice for additional sour taste.
