Beef Massaman Curry
Rich, mildly spiced Thai curry with tender braised beef, baby potatoes and crunchy peanuts — warming, fragrant and utterly moreish.
Massaman is the curry for when you want comfort with a kick — it's mild, nutty and fragrantly spiced rather than chilli-hot. This version uses stewing beef slow-braised in coconut and massaman paste until meltingly tender, with potatoes and peanuts for texture.
Make it for a cosy family supper or a dinner that impresses without too much faff. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and lime wedges on the side.
Ingredients
- 700 g beef stewing meat
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 80 g massaman curry paste — Use store-bought for speed or a homemade paste if preferred
- 400 ml coconut milk — one standard can, full-fat gives a richer sauce
- 1 brown onion — roughly 150 g, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 cardamom pods — crushed slightly
- 4 fresh kaffir lime leaves
- 500 g baby potatoes — halved if large
- 400 ml beef stock — or hot water
- 30 ml fish sauce
- 25 g palm sugar — or soft light brown sugar
- 15 ml tamarind paste — or 1 tbsp lime juice as last resort
- 50 g roasted peanuts — roughly chopped
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped, to finish
- sea salt — to taste
Equipment
- large heavy-based saucepan or casserole
- ladle
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients: pat the beef dry and cut into 3–4 cm chunks; halve the baby potatoes if large; slice the brown onion; crush the garlic cloves; lightly crush the cardamom pods.
Heat a large heavy-based saucepan or casserole over a medium–high hob. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and brown the beef in batches so it colours well without steaming — about 8–10 minutes total. Transfer browned beef to a plate.
Turn the heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil and sauté the brown onion with the crushed garlic until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the massaman curry paste and fry with the onions for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and the oil starts to take on the paste's colour — this blooms the spices.
Return the browned beef to the pan and pour in the coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until the coconut begins to reduce and the oil separates slightly.
Stir in the beef stock, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, fresh kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, palm sugar and tamarind paste. Bring back to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook very gently until the beef is tender, about 90 minutes.
Add the baby potatoes and roasted peanuts to the pan and simmer uncovered for a further 20–25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened to coating consistency.
Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt, extra fish sauce or palm sugar as needed. Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks, cardamom husks and (if used) kaffir stems.
Stir through most of the fresh coriander, reserve a little for scattering, then ladle the curry into bowls and finish with the remaining coriander and an extra handful of roasted peanuts if liked.
Tips
- Brown the beef well in batches — great caramelisation is where the depth of flavour comes from.
- Fry the curry paste briefly in oil before adding liquids; it unlocks the essential aroma and removes any raw edge.
- If time is tight, transfer everything to a low oven (140°C fan/160°C conventional) or a slow cooker after step 6 and cook for 2–3 hours.
- Make ahead: the curry tastes even better the next day once flavours have melded. Reheat gently on the hob; add a splash of stock if it’s too thick.
- If the sauce separates too much, whisk in a small splash of stock off the heat to bring it back together.
Substitutions
beef stewing meat → chicken thighs, 700 g (reduce final simmer to 30–35 minutes until cooked through)
Stays closeroasted peanuts → roasted cashews, same weight (50 g)
Stays closecoconut milk → light coconut milk, same volume — thinner, less rich
Noticeably differentpalm sugar → soft light brown sugar, same weight
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 950
- Calories
- 48 g
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes. After step 5 transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 4–6 hours (or high 2–3 hours) before adding potatoes for the final hour.
Can I use store-bought massaman paste?
Absolutely — use about 80 g. Fry it briefly in oil with the onions to build flavour just the same as with homemade paste.
How do I know when the beef is done?
The beef should be fork-tender and easily pull apart. If it’s still firm, continue to simmer gently and check every 15–20 minutes.
Is this curry spicy?
Massaman is traditionally mild and warmly spiced rather than hot. Adjust heat by choosing a hotter or milder paste or adding fresh chillies at the end.
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