Slow Cooked Beef Massaman Curry

Slow Cooked Beef Massaman Curry – Rich, fall-apart slow cooked beef curry in a spicy homemade sauce with new potatoes. Perfect comfort food! Make extra and freeze some for a busy weeknight.

If you were stranded on a desert island and you had only one type of food to eat for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

For me, I think it has to be Thai food.  Chocolate is probably a serious contender but that only satisfies my sweet tooth.  Thai on the other hand? Hmmmm the sweet/spicy/zesty/creamy combinations are endless.  I love a quick green thai chicken curry for a midweek meal, but a slow cooked curry with lovely juicy chunks of meat that fall apart and the tastiest saucy potatoes? Now that’s something else entirely!!

I made the massaman curry paste for this meal from scratch.  It’s pretty simple to do, but shop bought curry paste works really well too.

I’ve used Massaman, Korma and Madras pastes (yes, I know the last two are Indian rather than Thai, it was what I had in at the time) and they all tasted great.

If you do go with a shop bought paste, I’d recommend you reduce the amount to about 4 tbsp, as shop bought it usually more concentrated.

Also, if you’re making this for kids or people who don’t like hot food, you can leave the chillies out of the paste, and just throw some chopped chillies in at the end, once you’ve dished out the non-chilli portions.  It doesn’t give quite the same depth of heat, but is a good compromise rather than making two pots of curry.

The Beef Massaman Curry Recipe:

Beef Massaman Curry

Slow Cooked Beef Massaman Curry - Rich, fall-apart beef in a spicy homemade sauce with new potatoes. Perfect comfort food!

4.89 from 9 votes

Print Rate

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins

Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Any Time Of the year, Big Batch Cooking, Family Meal

Servings: 6 people

Author: Nicky Corbishley

Ingredients

Massaman Paste - makes about 6 tbsp:

• 1 chopped red onion
• 3 red chillies roughly chopped (or use fewer chillies, depending on how hot you like it)
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 3 cloves garlic peeled
• 2 sticks of lemongrass outer leaves removed, softer inside chopped finely
• 5 cm piece ginger peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tsp shrimp paste optional, also it's generally gluten free, but best to check
• 3 tsp fish sauce ,make sure it's a gluten free brand if needed
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• small bunch fresh coriander/cilantro stalks you'll be using the leaves later to serve, so just wrap them in a bit of damp tissue to keep them fresh
• 1/2 tsp salt

Other curry ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1.5 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 kg braising beef chopped into chunks
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 400 ml beef stock - 2 stock cubes with water is fine use kallo beef bouillon cubes for gluten free
• 400 ml can coconut milk it's usually gluten free, but double check
• 2 large red or white potatoes peeled and chopped into chunks
• Juice of 1 lime

To Serve:

• Boiled rice
• Chopped fresh coriander/cilantro
• Chopped red chillies
• Lime wedges

UK (metric) - **Convert to US Measures**

Instructions

• Place all the paste ingredients in a food processor or mini chopper and blend until it forms a paste. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large pan. Toss the chopped beef in the cornflour, salt and pepper. Fry the meat in the oil for about 5 mins on medium to high heat. You can do this in batches, but I'm a bit too lazy for that. I find that if you put the meat in, and leave it alone for a few minutes before you stir it, you'll get a nice dark colour on the beef. The beef will probably stick a bit to the pan, so you might need to give it a little scrape with a spatula.
• Once the beef has cooked for 5 mins, turn down the heat a little and add in the spice paste you made earlier. Give it a stir to coat the beef and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Then add in the beef stock and coconut milk. Give everything a stir (make sure you give any bits stuck at the bottom of the pan a scrape), place the lid on and gently simmer on a low heat for 1 hour 45 mins (alternatively you can place in the oven at about 160C/320F). Give it a stir every so often. If it's starting to look dry you can add in some more beef stock or water.
• After the 1 hour 45 mins, add in the potatoes, give it a stir and cook for a further 25 - 30 mins until the potatoes are tender (this is a good time to start cooking your rice too).
• Take out of the oven and mix in the lime juice. Serve the curry on a bed of rice with a sprinkling of coriander/cilantro, fresh chillies and a wedge of lime.

Recipe Notes

Can I make Massaman Curry Gluten Free?

Yes! Make sure you use gluten free stock cubes (I like Kallo Gluten free beef stock cubes)

Also check you're using gluten free fish sauce, shrimp paste and coconut milk.

.

Can I freeze Massaman Curry?

Yes, any leftovers of this curry can be cooled, covered and frozen. Then defrosted and reheated in the microwave until piping hot.

.

Can I use a shop bought paste instead of making my own?

Yes - although shop bought pastes are usually stronger. So use about 4tbsp instead of the 6tsp of homemade paste. Also check it's a gluten free brand if needed!

Nutritional information is per serving, not including rice.

Nutritional Information

Nutrition Facts

Beef Massaman Curry

Amount Per Serving

Calories 569 Calories from Fat 279

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 31g 48%

Saturated Fat 20g 100%

Cholesterol 139mg 46%

Sodium 962mg 40%

Potassium 985mg 28%

Total Carbohydrates 21g 7%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 3g

Protein 50g 100%

Vitamin A 4.7%

Vitamin C 52.8%

Calcium 5.3%

Iron 42.8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This recipe was first published in May 2014. Updated in June 2018 with new photos and cook’s tips.
Like the new photos? Ok (cringe) here’s the original photo: I was so chuffed with that photo back in May 2014! Eek! Hopefully I’ve improved!!

Equipment:

In order to make this Massaman Curry recipe you will need:

• • A good Kitchen knife. I have recently bought this Dalstrong one and love it.
  • Chopping Board
  • Mini Chopper
  • Measuring Jug
  • Dutch Oven
  • Juicer
  • Measuring Spoons
  • Garlic Press
  • Wooden or Silicon Coated Spoons. We have just bought these and love them.
  • Rice Steamer.

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