Beef massaman curry: A bit of Thai flavour for weeknight dinner

Summer in South Africa still has some cool rainy nights and that’s when comfort food is on the menu. A simple curry will always hit the spot but the main question is to which cuisine do you choose? Why not try a fusion of flavours just like we South Africans enjoy. Our Thai beef massaman curry is a mildly spicy curry that has origins in Southern Thailand and India. It is usually served with chicken, but of course, we love a bit of beef too.

Beef massaman curry tips

The addition of cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg give it that distinct flavour along with peanuts which is essential to massaman curry. It also adds some texture and richness to the dish. When you can’t find massaman curry paste, you can simply use red curry paste which is also readily available. However, the homemade curry paste adds more layers and you know that it won’t be filling with preservatives.

ALSO READ: Biltong flatbread recipe which will pair perfectly with the curry.

When the summer rains hit, comfort food is on the agenda. Try this great fusion of flavours with our Thai beef massaman curry and flatbread.

Last updated on 7 December 2022

Beef massaman curry recipe

Recipe by Jessica Alberts Course: DinnerCuisine: ThaiDifficulty: Medium

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

Ingredients

• 80 g 80 store bought curry paste (or see recipe below to make your own)

• 3 tbsp 3 oil

• 500 g 500 cubed beef

• 1 tbsp 1 peanut butter

• 1 tin 1 coconut milk

• 3 3 potatoes (peeled and cubed)

• 1 tbsp 1 fish sauce

• 1 tbsp 1 brown sugar

• coriander to garnish

• For the homemade curry paste

• 1⁄4 cup 1⁄4 peanuts

• 2 2 onions

• 5 5 garlic cloves

• 2 2 red chillies

• 1 piece 1 ginger (thumb sized)

• 1 stalk 1 lemongrass

• 1 tsp 1 ground cumin and ground coriander

• 1⁄8 tsp 1⁄8 ground nutmeg

• 1⁄2 tsp 1⁄2 cinnamon

• 1 tsp 1 fish sauce

• 1 tsp 1 brown sugar

Method

• To make the curry paste, blend all the ingredients in a food processor or blender with olive oil. If the paste is too thick or get stucks, add more oil to achieve a smooth consistency.

  • 

• Next make the curry. Heat oil in wok or frying pan.
• Add cubed meat and fry for a few minutes until browned.
• Add curry paste and a peanut butter and stir well.
• Add tin of coconut milk and a cup of water and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
• Add potatoes and simmer for further 20 minutes until potatoes are soft.
• If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little extra water.
• Season with fish sauce and brown sugar.
• Serve with steamed jasmine rice and garnish with fresh coriander.

Notes

• You can replace the beef with any protein of your choice.
• To make this dish vegatarian, use any vegetables of your choice instead of the meat.

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