Savor the Flavor: Authentic Massaman Curry Recipe
If you’ve ever visited a Thai restaurant or are familiar with Thai food, you’ve probably tried Massaman. It’s a Thai staple that tastes great and has an interesting history.
The Massaman, like many of the other Thai cuisines that evoke feelings of freshness and aroma, is best remembered for its fragrant, spicy, and refreshing flavors.
Massaman Curry is a mild, somewhat sweet, and slightly tangy Thai curry made with meat, potatoes, spices, coconut milk, and fragrant curry paste. Its rich and flavorful taste has made it a popular dish in Thailand and around the world.
What is Massaman Curry?
Massaman curry is a combination of Thai and Indian curries, with a red curry paste (Thai influence) and dry whole spices such as coriander, cumin, nutmeg, and cinnamon (Indian influence). Roasted peanuts are another optional component that gives the curry an additional layer of richness and texture.
Why Do You Like This Massaman Curry Recipe?
- Quick and easy recipe: This recipe is simple to prepare and requires only one pot. It makes use of ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
- Incredibly delicious: It is incredibly delicious, highly aromatic, and thick and creamy!
- Nutritious: It’s packed with essential nutrients, protein, and plant power.
- Cozy and comforting: It warms the soul and is the perfect wintertime food.
- Customizable: This recipe is perfect for different dietary restrictions without too much fuss because it’s easy to customize. For a vegetarian, replace the beef with chickpeas or tofu. You are welcome to include additional vegetables ( like carrots, green beans, or baby corn).
- Makes great leftovers: It tastes great after a day or two in the fridge. It gives all those flavors time to blend, which makes your curry taste even better.
The Ingredients:
- Massaman Curry Paste: Massaman paste is made from a mix of fragrant ingredients like shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal (a kind of ginger), dried red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin, cinnamon, curry powder, and shrimp paste. This is the main ingredient of this curry, which gives it its delicious taste. (Note: You can find the recipe for making this paste in my previous blog post.)
- Protein: Massaman Curry is usually made with beef. But you can also use chicken, lamb, or tofu if you prefer.
- Coconut Milk: This is what makes Massaman Curry creamy and rich. It balances out the strong flavors of the spices and makes the meat tender.
- Potatoes: Cubed potatoes are a must in this Curry. They add a little sweetness and make the curry more satisfying.
- Cooking oil: I love using avocado, olive, or coconut oil. But you can use any cooking oil.
- Additional ingredients: Ingredients like tamarind paste, fried shallots, bay leaves, palm sugar, Himalayan pink salt, and fish sauce are also used to make Massaman Curry even more flavorful. They add depth to the taste of the curry.
How To Make Massaman Curry?
I started with boiling the potatoes until they were fully cooked, drained the water, and set them aside.
I left the coconut milk can undisturbed for at least half an hour, then carefully opened it and tried not to mix the water underneath the coconut cream. Then I used a tablespoon to scoop the coconut cream above and placed 4 tablespoons of coconut cream in the cooking pan together with 1 bay leaf and 5 tablespoons of Massaman curry paste. I then fried and stirred it at medium heat until the spices released their aroma and the paste slightly turned brown.
I added the beef to the sauce, along with potatoes, 1 teaspoon of tamarind paste, 1 teaspoon of palm sugar, 1½ tablespoons of fish sauce, ½ teaspoon of salt, and stir-fried until the meat turned brown and was covered with spices.
I then added ½ cup/ 125 ml of water, stirred, and let it cook until the meat was cooked, which took approximately 5 minutes.
Lastly, I poured in the rest of the coconut milk, stirred it, and put the pan lid on, let it cook, and simmered it, checking and stirring now and again. About 5 minutes before the curry was done, I added the potatoes and let everything cook again.
The curry was ready when the meat was tender, and the gravy was shiny with oil separated from the edges. I sprinkled the fried onions before serving.
Pro Tips
You can make the best-tasting beef massaman curry by following a few suggestions. There are a few things you should remember when making this dish:
- Use fresh ingredients: Make use of fresh spices and herbs for a better taste.
- Adjust the spice level: Depending on your preference, change the amount of sugar, chilies, and other spices.
- Sometimes, I add chicken or veggie broth to achieve a stronger taste.
- Make it ahead: Like many other curries, Massaman curry usually tastes better the next day because the flavors have had more time to develop. For a quick and tasty dinner later in the week, think about preparing a bigger amount and reheat it.
- Don’t Overcook potatoes: Be careful not to overcook potatoes; otherwise, they’ll be mushy and unpleasant. For the best texture, they should be tender while still having some bite.
- You can also make it in a slow cooker to speed up the cooking process.
Variations and Substitutions
Stop here! Look at the variations and substitutions for the following recipe:
- To make it creamy, you can use cashew or coconut cream instead of coconut milk.
- You can use any other veggies, herbs, or spices.
- You can use red curry paste instead of Massaman curry paste, but it will taste a little different.
- In the end, you can include baby spinach leaves if you want to.
- You can use chicken, lamb, or tofu in the curry instead of beef.
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigerator: This curry will keep well in the refrigerator. You can refrigerate leftover curry for up to 3-5 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat: Warm thoroughly on a stovetop over low heat. Alternately, you can reheat it in the microwave in 30–60-second intervals, stirring in between, until it’s warm.
- Storage in the freezer: You shouldn’t freeze potato or coconut milk-based dishes because they will have an unpleasant texture when thawed, and the milk will separate.
Serving Suggestion
Here are a few simple and delicious options:
- Jasmine Rice: This fragrant, slightly sticky rice is great for soaking up the curry sauce’s flavor. You should definitely include this classic side.
- Flatbreads: Any soft flatbread, such as naan or roti, works well for scooping up this delicious curry.
- Steamed Vegetables: To add a fresh touch, serve lightly steamed vegetables such as green beans, carrots, and broccoli. These are a nice change to the rich curry and make the meal more balanced.
Massaman Curry Recipe
Equipment
- Cooking pan with lid
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef cut into chunks
- 2 medium potatoes approximately 6 ounces/ 170 grams, cut into big chunks
- 14 fluid ounces canned coconut milk
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 tablespoons Massaman curry paste
- 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt or according to taste
- 2 ounces fried shallots/ onions
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes until they are fully cooked, drain the water and set aside.
- Leave the coconut milk can undisturbed for at least half an hour. Then, carefully open the can and try not to mix the water underneath the coconut cream.
- Use a tablespoon to scoop the coconut cream above. Place 4 tablespoons of coconut cream in the cooking pan together with 1 bay leaf and 5 tablespoons of Massaman curry paste. Fry and stir at medium heat until the spices release their aroma. The paste will slightly turn brown, and the oil will separate on the edges.
- Add the beef to the sauce, along with potatoes, 1 teaspoon of tamarind paste, 1 teaspoon of palm sugar, and 1½ tablespoons of fish sauce, ½ teaspoon of salt, and stir fry until the meat turns brown and is covered with spices.
- Then add ½ cup/ 125 ml of water, stir, and let it cook until the meat is cooked. It takes approximately 5 minutes.
- Pour in the rest of the coconut milk and stir. Check the taste and add salt or anything else if needed. Put the pan lid on, let it cook, and simmer. Check and stir every now and again. About 5 minutes before the curry is done, add the potatoes in and let everything cook again. Your curry is ready when the meat is tender and the gravy is shiny with oil separated from the edges.
- Sprinkle the fried onions before serving.
Notes
- You can use any type of meat you prefer, although chuck beef, and brisket are popular choices as they have a bit of fat and ideal for slow cooking.
- Choose waxy potatoes so that they won’t crumble. Red potatoes and new potatoes are the best choices.
- The cooking time may vary depending on your meat quality.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutritional info in this recipe is only estimate using online calculator. You should refer to it as a guide only. Please verify with your own data if you seek an accurate info.
What is Curry?
The word “curry” refers to a wide range of well-seasoned and saucy dishes having roots in India, Thailand, and numerous other Southeast Asian nations. Curry starts with a spice blend, but there is no exact formula. Every curry is unique! Curry paste or powder can be used as a shortcut at home. You can quickly make dishes with intricately layered flavors by using these things.
How to Make Vegan Massaman Curry?
Massaman curry is usually made with meat( beef, chicken, etc.), but tofu or tempeh can be used instead of meat to make it vegan-friendly.
How To Thicken Up Massaman Curry?
Curry sauces can be thickened most commonly by adding tomato paste or puree. Instead of adding the tomato puree at the very end, just add it during the cooking process. This thickens curry or pasta sauce from the start, speeding up cooking.
How to Make Your Curry Lighter?
This Thai Massaman curry is similar to many others in that the main ingredient is coconut milk, which makes the base rich, creamy, and naturally sweet.
If you’re lightening this curry up, you may make this curry with half the coconut milk and half the water or vegetable broth. Just be careful to taste and adjust the flavor as necessary—vegetable broth will impart more salt, and water probably needs more
