Massaman curry

Tamara West

Massaman curry hails from Thailand but is enjoyed widely in Southeast Asia. I first tasted this dish while visiting my husband’s aunty and uncle in Malaysia which is interesting as massaman is not a native Thai word, but may have been derived from the Malay word masam, which means “sour”. This dish is something I love to eat regardless of whether the weather is hot or cold — making it the perfect year-round dish! Instead of using chicken you can substitute beef or lamb, which are more traditional.

The paste

4	Garlic cloves, chopped
2	Red chillies, or use 3 chillies if required
2 slices	Galangal, chopped (Main)
1 stalk	Lemongrass, white part only, chopped (Main)
2	Shallots, chopped
1 bunch	Fresh coriander, stems only, chopped
2 Tbsp	Cooking oil
1 tsp	Shrimp paste

The curry

1 Tbsp	Cooking oil
1 pinch	Ground cloves
¼ tsp	Ground cumin (Main)
1 pinch	Ground cardamom
300 g	Chicken thighs, cut into cubes
300 g	Potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1	Cinnamon stick
400 ml	Coconut milk (Main)
1	Red capsicum, medium, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 Tbsp	Peanut butter
1 Tbsp	Tamarind puree (Main)
2 Tbsp	Fish sauce
2 Tbsp	Brown sugar

Directions

1. Place all the paste ingredients into a bowl and use a hand blender to make into a paste (alternatively use food processor)
2. Place a wok or a large pot over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Wait until the oil warms up and add all the paste. Stir and cook the paste for 5 minutes or until the colour has darkened.
3. Add cumin, cloves and cardamom.
4. Add chicken and potato to the wok/pot and cook for a couple of minutes on medium-high heat.
5. Add coconut milk, cinnamon stick and capsicum and cook for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes and chicken are cooked through.
6. Season with peanut butter tamarind puree, fish sauce and sugar.
7. Serve with a sprinkle of peanuts if you have them and some steamed jasmine rice.