What meat is traditional in Thai curry?

Many types of meat and protein are used in Thai curries depending on each person's dietary needs. Beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, fish, and tofu can be used in Thai curries, depending on which curry you make.

What are the traditional ingredients in a massaman curry?

Thai Massaman curry typically uses heavy, starchy vegetables like potatoes, kabocha squash, or pumpkins with added meat, usually beef. Coconut milk and coconut cream make the curry very creamy and flavorful. The additional use of herbs and spices, in addition to the Massaman curry paste, gives the curry a rich flavor that is still mild enough for those new to curry dishes.

What kind of curry is Massaman?

Massaman curry is a mildly spicy and sweet Thai curry dish. It originates from the South of Thailand, where Malaysian, Indian, and Muslim influences combine for a unique culture. The word “Massaman” derives from the word Muslim, thus giving the curry its well-known name. Though the curry originated from the South, it is also made and enjoyed throughout Thailand and worldwide!

What makes Massaman Curry different?

There are countless curries in Thai cuisine. Massaman curry paste, used for making massaman curry, is a little different than the rest because it uses aromatic spices that most other curries do not include. Massaman curry is also one of the least spicy Thai curries.

What is Massaman curry paste made of?

Massaman curry paste is usually made from several spices that make the curry extra flavorful. Those spices are coriander seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, chilis, cumin seeds, white or black peppercorns, shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, and shrimp paste. Toasting the dry spices to extract the oil, then combining those with fresh herbs to make a thick fine paste, makes Massaman curry one of the most fragrant curry pastes in Thai cooking.

What do you eat with Massaman curry?

Massaman curry is typically eaten with cooked Jasmine rice. This beef massaman curry recipe uses gold potatoes, making it a hearty and rich meal.

What does Massaman curry taste like?

Massaman curry has a rich, creamy taste from coconut milk with a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and lightly tangy flavors from tamarind sauce, sugar, and fish sauce. The Massaman curry sauce has warm and lightly spicy flavors from the toasted spices used in making the curry. The added peanuts add a layer of sweetness and creaminess to the curry.

Is Massaman Curry healthy?

Yes. In moderation. This beef massaman curry recipe is relatively healthy, depending on your definition of what healthy is. (: Thai cuisine is generally healthier than most Western food due to the added spices, herbs, vegetables, and minimal sugar. Massman Curry calls for coconut milk and sugar for the added creamy sweetness to balance the salty and spicy taste. Those ingredients are essential in Thai cooking, but it's never excessive. Everything in moderation is key!

Easy and Authentic Thai Beef Massaman Curry

Name: Beef Massaman Curry Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 cinnamon stick (6 inches); 3 whole brown cardamom; 3 whole star anise; 2 tablespoon grapeseed oil; 2.5 tablespoons massaman curry paste. More or less as preferred.; 1 cup coconut cream.; 1 14 ounces can of coconut milk.; 1 pound beef (top round steak, sirloin, or chuck), cut against the grain into 2 inch long pieces.; 1 medium onion, sliced long and thin, ½ inch wide pieces; 3 large whole bay leaves; 2 large Yukon gold potatoes, (15 oz or so). Cubed 1-inch pieces.; ½ cup peanuts, coarsely ground unsalted peanuts.; ¼ cup brown sugar; 1 teaspoon fish sauce.; 1 tablespoon tamarind sauce.; 1/3 cup water or as needed

Description

Learn how to make easy and authentic Thai beef massaman curry today. The quick and easy version, using tender cuts beef rather than stewing beef, makes this recipe a perfect dinner you can put together in less than 30 minutes!

Ingredients

Scale

1 cinnamon stick (6 inches)
3 whole brown cardamom
3 whole star anise
2 tablespoon grapeseed oil
2.5 tablespoons massaman curry paste. More or less as preferred.
1 cup coconut cream.
1 14 ounces can of coconut milk.
1 pound beef (top round steak, sirloin, or chuck), cut against the grain into 2 inch long pieces.
1 medium onion, sliced long and thin, ½ inch wide pieces
3 large whole bay leaves
2 large Yukon gold potatoes, (15 oz or so). Cubed 1-inch pieces.
½ cup peanuts, coarsely ground unsalted peanuts.
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon fish sauce.
1 tablespoon tamarind sauce.
1/3 cup water or as needed

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Instructions

In a frying pan, dry roast the spices (cinnamon, cardamom, star anise) on low heat until fragrant. Toast anywhere from 2-4 minutes. Keep a close eye on the spices to not burn them.
Heat a Dutch oven or a large pot until warm on medium heat. Add oil and the Massaman curry paste. Stir the oil, and the curry paste together to break up the clumps for 1 minute or less.
Add the coconut cream and cook until the cream separates (when the cream looks oil). It takes about 2-3 minutes. Stir a couple of times, but keep a close watch on the paste to not let it burn. Once you see the bubbles forming, it's ready for the next step. You should have nice creamy light orange/yellow massaman curry sauce.
Add beef and turn the heat down slightly. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add the coconut milk, potatoes, and onion. Give it a good stir and cook for 10 minutes. Add a little water or more coconut milk if your curry looks dried up. Adjust your curry with more fish sauce, palm sugar, and tamarind if adding more water.
Add the peanuts, the toasted spices, sugar, fish sauce, and water. Stir well. Also, check to see if the potatoes are tender with a fork. Cook for 5 more minutes.
Add tamarind sauce, stir well together, and give it a taste to adjust as desired using fish sauce, sugar, and tamarind sauce. Add a small amount, stir, and sample until your taste buds are happy. Serve with your favorite white rice like jasmine or basmati! Enjoy this delicious Southern Thai curry!

Notes

This Massaman curry recipe uses only four spices, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom, and bay leaf. Dry toast them before use, and these fragrance spices will elevate your curry to the next level! These spices can be found at your local ethnic grocery stores or purchase them online.
Make sure not to eat the chunks of spices while enjoying the curry. You can also remove them before serving.
Yukon gold potatoes are best for this recipe. You can try two different things if you use other types of potatoes that are not as tender. Cut the potatoes into smaller sizes to help them cook quicker, or boil them for 5-6 minutes before adding the pieces to the curry.
For the cut of beef, use top round steak and sirloin. The smaller the pieces are cut, the quicker the meat will get cooked.
You can cook the beef a little bit longer if desired. The typical Massaman curries are cooked for a long while to let the meat simmer and soften. This is the faster version.
Lime or lemon juice can be used as a substitute for tamarind sauce. But use less than the recipe calls for. Tamarind juice is not as sour as lemon or lime juice. Orange juice works well too.
Ground spices work, too, but I haven't tested this recipe with them. You will need to use fewer ground spices than whole spices.

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Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Category: curries, Easy Recipes, beef recipe
Method: stove stop
Cuisine: Thai

Keywords: beef Massaman curry recipe, Thai beef Massaman, Massaman curry, Beef massaman, authentic massaman recipe, easy beef massaman curry