Thai Coconut Beef Curry with Potatoes, Peanuts and Tamarind
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and NYT Cooking.
Beef chuck is slow-braised until fork-tender, then folded through a proper fried massaman paste with potatoes, tamarind and peanuts for a rich, nutty, gently sweet-sour curry.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
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Equipment
- large heavy pot or casserole (about 5 l) with a lid
- plate
- tongs
- ladle
- medium saucepan (about 3 l)
- silicone spatula
- small knife
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 896 kcal |
| Protein | 46.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 43.7 g |
| of which sugars | 17.3 g |
| of which free sugars | 9.8 g |
| Fat | 62.4 g |
| of which saturates | 31 g |
| Fibre | 4.8 g |
| Salt | 2.56 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
5.2 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
Metric · 4 servings
Beef braise
- 800 g boneless beef chuck, cut into 5 cm pieces
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 l water, plus more as needed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
Curry
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk (1 can), divided
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 80 g store-bought massaman curry paste check the label: most Thai curry pastes contain shrimp paste (crustaceans); choose a shrimp-free paste if you avoid it
- 40 g palm sugar or light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 400 g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 5 cm pieces
- 50 g roasted unsalted peanuts
- 1
Brown the beef. Pat the beef dry, then heat 1 tbsp oil in the large pot over medium-high heat until shimmering and brown half the beef for 5-6 minutes, turning, until coloured on all sides. Lift it onto a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and beef. Working in batches stops the pot from crowding, so the meat sears and caramelises instead of steaming in its own juices.
- 2
Braise until tender. Return all the beef and its juices to the pot with the cinnamon and star anise, then add enough water to cover, about 2 litres. Bring to a simmer, partly cover and cook at a steady simmer for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, stirring now and then and topping up water to keep the beef submerged, until a small knife slides in easily. This long, gentle heat slowly melts the tough collagen in chuck into gelatine, which is what makes the meat fall-apart tender.
- 3
Cool and strain. Leave the beef to cool in the braising liquid for 30 minutes, then lift it out and measure 475 ml of the cooking liquid, discarding the spices. Resting in the warm liquid lets the juices settle back through the meat rather than running out as soon as it's cut.
- 4
Fry the curry paste. Put 120 ml of the coconut milk and the 1 tbsp oil in the saucepan over medium-low heat and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened. Work in the curry paste hard with the spatula for 2-3 minutes, then keep cooking and scraping while adding another 120 ml coconut milk 2 tbsp at a time over about 10 minutes, until the paste turns a deep reddish brown and oil separates at the edges. This slow frying drives off raw harshness and concentrates the spice oils, and the separating oil is the clearest sign the paste is properly cooked.
- 5
Season and add potatoes. Stir in the sugar, tamarind paste and fish sauce until the sugar melts completely. Add the potatoes and stir to coat them in the fragrant paste. Taste before adding any extra fish sauce, since shop-bought pastes vary a lot in saltiness.
- 6
Simmer to finish. Add the beef, the 475 ml reserved cooking liquid and the remaining 160 ml coconut milk, and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is thick with a layer of oil sitting on top; the beef, braised far beyond 63°C, should feel completely fork-tender. Stir in the peanuts and serve with jasmine rice.
Storage
Cool quickly and refrigerate within 1 hour; use within 3 days and reheat only once until piping hot (74°C). It also freezes well for up to 3 months, though the potatoes may soften slightly on reheating. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
