Thai Massaman Curry – Slow-Cooked Beef with Potatoes and Peanuts

About This Recipe

Massaman curry is the gentle giant of Thai curries — a rich, warming, mildly spiced coconut curry with deep Persian and Malay influences that make it unlike any other Thai dish. The paste is built from roasted dry spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise) that are completely absent from other Thai curries, reflecting the dish's historical connection to Muslim merchants from Persia and India who traded in southern Thailand centuries ago. The result is a curry that is simultaneously Thai and Middle Eastern in character. The texture and depth come from slow cooking — beef shin or chuck is braised in coconut milk and massaman paste for 1–2 hours until completely tender and the sauce has reduced and caramelised slightly. Waxy potatoes absorb the curry sauce, whole shallots soften to sweetness, and roasted peanuts add crunch and nutty depth. Tamarind provides the characteristic sweet-sour balance that distinguishes massaman from other coconut curries. Massaman curry was famously voted the 'world's most delicious food' by CNN Travel in 2011, introducing it to a global audience. It remains the most internationally accessible of Thai curries due to its mild heat and comforting depth.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 800 gbeef shin or chuck(cut into large chunks)
• 3 tbspmassaman curry paste
• 400 mlcoconut milk
• 200 mlbeef stock
• 300 gwaxy potatoes(halved)
• 3shallots(peeled, left whole)
• 80 groasted peanuts
• 2 tbsptamarind paste
• 2 tbspfish sauce
• 2 tbsppalm sugar or brown sugar
• 3dried bay leaves
• 2 stickscinnamon
• 4cardamom pods
• jasmine rice(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Fry the paste

   Skim thick coconut cream from the top of the can and heat in a large pot. Add massaman paste and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly darkened.

   Frying the paste in coconut cream (rather than oil) is the authentic method and produces a deeper flavour.

2. 2

   Add beef and aromatics

   Add beef, bay leaves, cinnamon and cardamom. Stir to coat in paste. Add remaining coconut milk and stock. Bring to a boil.

3. 3

   Slow cook

   Reduce heat, cover and simmer very gently for 1.5–2 hours until beef is fork-tender.

4. 4

   Add vegetables

   Add potatoes, shallots and peanuts. Cook 20–25 minutes until potatoes are tender.

5. 5

   Season

   Add tamarind paste, fish sauce and sugar. Taste and adjust — it should be sweet, sour, salty and mildly spiced in balance.

Variations

• •

  Chicken massaman: use bone-in chicken thighs and reduce cooking time to 40 minutes.

• •

  Vegetarian: use chickpeas and sweet potato instead of beef.

Storage

Improves dramatically overnight. Keeps 4 days in fridge. Freezes for 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions