Slow-Braised Beef Massaman Curry with Potatoes and Peanuts

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Chuck roast simmered low and slow in coconut milk with massaman paste, whole spices, tamarind and palm sugar until it collapses at the touch of a spoon. Potatoes go in late so they hold their shape, roasted peanuts add crunch and body, and the whole pot tastes even better the next day — which makes this the ideal make-ahead centerpiece.

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 13.5-oz cans full-fat coconut milk (not light)
• 1.5 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth

• 1/2 cup massaman curry paste (about 4 oz)
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 3 pods star anise
• 4 pods green cardamom, lightly crushed
• 3 bay leaves

• 1.5 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5-inch chunks
• 3/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
• 3 tbsp tamarind concentrate
• 3 tbsp palm sugar, chopped (or light brown sugar)
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp lime juice, plus more to taste

• Steamed jasmine rice
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 red Thai chile or Fresno chile, thinly sliced (optional)
• 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots (optional)

Instructions

1. Pat the beef chunks very dry with paper towels and season all over with the kosher salt. Let sit at room temperature while you prep the rest of the ingredients, at least 15 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high until it shimmers. Working in two or three batches so the pot is never crowded, sear the beef for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate. Lower the heat to medium if the fond starts to blacken.
3. Open one can of coconut milk without shaking it and spoon the thick cream from the top into the pot (about 1/2 cup). Cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until it separates and you see clear oil pooling at the edges.
4. Add the massaman curry paste and fry in the coconut oil for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens a shade and smells strongly fragrant. Stir in the garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom and bay leaves and cook 1 minute more.
5. Add the sliced onion and stir to coat. Pour in the remaining coconut milk from both cans plus the broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to release all the browned bits.
6. Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring to a bare simmer, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and cook over low heat for 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes. The liquid should barely bubble; adjust the burner as needed.
7. Add the potatoes and 1/2 cup of the peanuts. Cover and simmer 30 to 40 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender and the beef shreds with light pressure from a spoon.
8. Stir in the tamarind concentrate, palm sugar and fish sauce. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken slightly, until the sauce coats a spoon and a thin layer of red oil rises to the surface.
9. Fish out the cinnamon stick, star anise, cardamom pods and bay leaves. Stir in the lime juice, then taste and adjust: more fish sauce for salt, palm sugar for roundness, tamarind or lime for tang. The curry should read sweet first, then salty, then gently sour.
10. Let the curry rest off the heat for at least 15 minutes before serving. Spoon over jasmine rice and top with the remaining 1/4 cup peanuts (roughly chopped), cilantro, sliced chile and fried shallots.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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