Lemongrass Gate · Main dishes

Massaman Beef Curry with Potatoes

Name: Massaman Beef Curry with Potatoes
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 800 g Beef chuck roast; 3 tbsp Massaman curry paste; 400 ml Canned coconut milk; 400 g Potatoes; 1 whole Onion; 40 g Roasted peanuts; 1 tbsp Fish sauce; 1 tbsp Palm sugar; 1 tsp Tamarind paste; 2 whole Bay leaves; 0.25 tsp Ground cinnamon; 1 tbsp Neutral oil; 0.5 tsp Salt; 2 clove Garlic; 300 g Jasmine rice; 390 ml Water, for the rice; 200 ml Water

Beef chuck braised slowly in coconut milk with massaman paste, potato, peanut and a little cinnamon until the cubes are fork-tender. A weekend pot, mild and rich, for a full table.

150 minutes · Medium · 4 servings

Original house recipe · Not yet kitchen-tested

Ingredients

Beef chuck roast800 g
Massaman curry paste3 tbsp
Canned coconut milk400 ml
Potatoes400 g
Onion1 whole
Roasted peanuts40 g
Fish sauce1 tbsp
Palm sugar1 tbsp
Tamarind paste1 tsp
Bay leaves2 whole
Ground cinnamon0.25 tsp
Neutral oil1 tbsp
Salt0.5 tsp
Garlic2 clove
Jasmine rice300 g
Water, for the rice390 ml
Water200 ml

Quantities describe recipe usage, not package sizes.

Allergen notes

Fish (fish sauce and many massaman pastes), peanuts (peanuts and some pastes), coconut (coconut milk) and shellfish (some pastes contain shrimp).

Method

Brown the beef

Cut the chuck into 3 cm cubes, pat them dry and season with half the salt. Wash your hands and board after handling raw beef. Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the beef in two batches, about 3 minutes per batch, so the cubes colour rather than steam. Lift them out. Slice the onion and mince the garlic. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 3 cm chunks, then keep them in cold water so they do not brown.

Fry the paste

Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, curry paste and cinnamon and stir for 1 minute, until fragrant. Pour in the coconut milk and the 200 ml water and scrape up the browned bits.

Braise until tender and safe

Return the beef with its juices. Add the fish sauce, palm sugar, tamarind, bay leaves, peanuts and remaining salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low for 70 minutes, stirring once or twice. Drain the potatoes, add them, and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender and the largest beef cube is fork-tender. Health Canada’s well-done temperature for beef pieces is 77°C (170°F): check the centre of the largest cube. A braise should be well past that and yielding, not pink and firm.

Cook the rice and serve

While the potatoes cook, rinse the rice and simmer it covered with the 390 ml water for 15 minutes, then rest it off the heat for 10 minutes. Fish out the bay leaves. Spoon the curry over the rice. The sauce should coat a spoon; simmer a few minutes longer if it is thin.

Chuck needs the long simmer. If the largest cube is at 77°C but still chewy, keep the lid on and give it another 15 minutes with a splash of water. The peanuts are there for the sauce, not only as a garnish.

AI-generated food image. Presentation is illustrative. This menu belongs to an imagined restaurant.