Beef Massaman Curry
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 onion, cut into wedges
- 3 tablespoons massaman curry paste
- 1 can coconut milk, 13.5 ounces
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed, optional
- 1 pound potatoes, cut into large chunks
- ½ cup roasted peanuts, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or palm sugar
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions
Brown the Beef: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, then transfer to a plate.
Fry the Curry Paste: Add the onion to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
Simmer the Curry: Add the coconut milk, beef stock, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom if using, and browned beef. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 1½ hours.
Add Potatoes and Peanuts: Stir in the potatoes, peanuts, fish sauce, tamarind, and sugar. Continue simmering for 35-45 minutes, until the beef and potatoes are tender.
Adjust and Serve: Taste and adjust with more fish sauce, tamarind, or sugar. Garnish with cilantro and extra peanuts and serve with jasmine rice.
Regular Rotation Curry
This is the kind of curry that earns a place in the regular dinner rotation. It is mellow enough for a crowd, rich enough to feel special, and forgiving enough that it can simmer away while the rest of the meal comes together. The best part is the wait: coconut milk, beef, potatoes, peanuts, cinnamon, star anise, and curry paste slowly fill the house with that warm, sweet-savory smell before the pot is even ready.
I usually serve it simply with jasmine rice, which is all it really needs. The sauce is rich and rounded, so rice gives it somewhere to go without competing with it. If you want something fresh on the side, cucumber salad, quick pickled vegetables, or a crisp herb-heavy salad all work well. Extra peanuts and cilantro at the table add crunch and brightness.
Tips
- Keep the simmer gentle. The beef needs time to become tender, but the coconut sauce should not scorch or reduce too aggressively.
- Cut the potatoes into large chunks so they soften without disappearing into the curry.
- Taste at the end and adjust the balance. Fish sauce adds savoriness, tamarind adds tang, and sugar rounds out the warm spices.
- Massaman curry is excellent the next day. Cool and refrigerate overnight, then reheat gently and add a splash of stock or coconut milk if the sauce has thickened too much.
Variations
- For a slow cooker version, brown the beef and fry the curry paste first, then transfer everything except the potatoes to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, adding the potatoes for the last 2 hours if possible.
- Chicken thighs can replace beef for a faster version, but reduce the simmering time significantly.
- Add more peanuts for extra texture, or finish with fried shallots if you want a little crunch on top.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 serving, without rice
- Servings Per Recipe: 6
- Calories: 790
% Daily Value
- Total Fat: 45g (58% DV)
- Saturated Fat: 18g (90% DV)
- Cholesterol: 120mg (40% DV)
- Sodium: 1100mg (48% DV)
- Total Carbohydrates: 25g (9% DV)
- Dietary Fiber: 4g (14% DV)
- Total Sugars: 5g
- Protein: 48g
- Vitamin A: 70mcg (8% DV)
- Vitamin C: 22mg (24% DV)
- Calcium: 90mg (7% DV)
- iron: 7mg (39% DV)
Note: The “% Daily Value” (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients and preparation.
