THE BEST Thai Massaman Curry! (“Spicy Muslim Curry”)

There are many origin stories, but Massaman, meaning “spicy Muslim curry” is a Thai curry that was developed a very long time ago when Arab spice traders brought goods to what is now known as Thailand. A proper Massaman curry is heavily spiced, fiery and herbaceous all at once. The curry can be made with whatever protein you have on deck - think beef, lamb, chicken, or even brofu.

I won’t sit here and bash on canned food… I can’t because I love chipotles in adobo and a good old fashioned can-o-SPAM from time to time. All said, canned Curry paste is totally alright in a pinch and I use it often, but it’s NOTHING like the homemade stuff. Homemade curry paste is 10x more aromatic and flavorful.

Massaman curry is very simple to make, but it does require a fair amount of ingredients - some of which might be tough to find unless you live near an Asian market. The good news: the internet exists and you can find almost anything on it! This curry paste is super flavorful and exactly what I like to make ahead and keep in my freezer for a quick dinner during the week. Heat up some rice, thaw the pre-made curry paste and BOOM, gg. Okay, I’ll stfu and let’s get after it. 🤘🏼 Adam

Yield: 4-6

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Thai Massaman Curry

Cook time: 3 HourTotal time: 3 Hour

Ingredients

For the Curry

• 1 tbsp Neutral Oil
• 2-3 lb Short Ribs, flanken style cut (or chuck/brisket)
• 2 (14oz) cans Coconut milk, divided
• 2 cups Water
• 2 Cinnamon Sticks
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 4 Black Cardamom pods
• 1.5 lb New Potatoes (waxy)
• 2 Shallots, rough chopped
• 1/2 cup Tamarind “water” (or 2 tbsp Tamarind Paste)
• 2 tbsp Palm sugar
• More coconut milk at end, more to taste
• 3 tbsp Fish Sauce, more to taste
• Kosher Salt, to taste

For the Paste

• 4 Dried Red Chilis, chopped
• 2 tsp Coriander seeds
• 2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 whole Mace (or 1/4 tsp grated Nutmeg)
• 1 tsp Clove
• 1 tsp Black Peppercorns
• 20 Green Cardamom pods, seeds only (1 tsp of seeds)
• 2 Stalks Lemongrass, chopped
• 5 Stalks Cilantro
• 2 inch pieces Ginger or Galangal, sliced
• 6 Garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1 tsp Shrimp paste (optional)
• 2-3 tbsp Coconut milk *just enough to blend into paste, use from second coconut milk can listed in Beef Curry recipe ingredients.

Instructions

1. Begin by seasoning your bone-in short ribs with kosher salt. In a heavy-bottomed dutch oven, sear the short ribs until they are nicely browned. This step is important for developing flavor, so don't skip it. Once browned, remove the short ribs from the dutch oven.
2. To the dutch oven, add your chopped shallot, bay leaf, cinnamon, and black cardamom, moving them around the pot to incorporate their flavors. Then, add a can of full-fat coconut milk, followed by an equal amount of water.
3. With the lid slightly offset to allow for evaporation, let the mixture simmer on low for one and a half to two hours, or until the short ribs are tender.
4. While your short ribs are simmering, begin preparing your curry paste. This includes some chopped lemongrass, a variety of spices, and galangal. Toast your spices before grinding them into a powder.
5. Sweat some onion, garlic, and shrimp paste in a pan until they are translucent. This oniony base will be combined in a food processor with dried red chilies, galangal, and lemongrass. Once processed, add the spice blend, cilantro, and a bit of coconut milk.
6. Optionally, toast the curry paste in a bit of neutral oil to wake up the flavors. Then, add your potatoes to the short ribs and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are tender.
7. Finally, add your tamarind paste, bird's eye chili, palm sugar, fish sauce, curry paste, and the second can of coconut milk to the pot. Let everything simmer together for another five to ten minutes.
8. Don't forget to check for seasoning. You may want to add a bit more fish sauce for saltiness.
9. Serve your curry with aromatic long grain rice like basmati or jasmine, fresh herbs, and crunchy toasted peanuts. Enjoy with a cold beer and maybe a few wedges of lime.