Massaman Curry

Thai Muslim slow-braised beef with cardamom, potatoes and peanuts

Origin: Southern Thailand

From the journey of Cardamom.

Massaman curry stands apart from every other Thai curry because it did not originate in Thai cuisine. Its name is a corruption of 'Mussulman' (an archaic term for Muslim) and its flavour profile is a map of the trade routes that connected the Persian Gulf to the Malay Archipelago. Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and mace (the warming, slow-building spices of the Arab and Persian world) coexist with lemongrass, galangal, and dried chillies in a paste that is unique in Southeast Asian cooking. The most likely origin is the Muslim traders who sailed the Bay of Bengal along the Straits of Malacca, bringing the spice traditions of the Indian Ocean trade world to the ports of southern Thailand and the Malay Peninsula. Cardamom, which had been moving through Arab and Persian spice networks for over a thousand years before it reached Southeast Asia, is one of the defining notes of massaman paste (its floral warmth is unmistakable in the finished curry. The dish was famously described in a 1688 poem by Siamese court poet Si Prat as 'massaman, beloved of the king') making it among the oldest named curries in literary record.

Ingredients

Massaman Paste

6 dried long red chillies, soaked and drained
2 lemongrass stalks, tender parts only, sliced
20 g galangal (or ginger), roughly chopped
3 shallots, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves
6 green cardamom pods, seeds finely ground
1 tsp ground cinnamon
0.5 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground coriander, toasted
0.5 tsp ground cumin, toasted
1 tsp shrimp paste (kapi)
0.5 tsp fine salt

Curry

700 g beef chuck or shin, cut into 4cm chunks
400 ml full-fat coconut milk
200 ml coconut cream
2 tbsp fish sauce
1.5 tbsp palm sugar (or light brown sugar)
1 tbsp tamarind paste
300 g waxy potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 shallots, peeled and halved
80 g roasted peanuts, unsalted
2 bay leaves
3 cardamom pods, bruised

Method

Make the paste: pound or blend the soaked chillies, lemongrass, galangal, shallots, and garlic to a rough paste. Add the ground spices, shrimp paste, and salt and pound until smooth. A traditional stone mortar gives the best texture; a blender works but add a tablespoon of water to help it move.
Heat the coconut cream in a wok or heavy-based casserole over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it 'splits': the fat separates and the cream sizzles. This takes about 5 minutes and is essential for blooming the paste.
Add the massaman paste to the split coconut cream and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly, until very fragrant and the paste has darkened slightly and coats the fat.
Add the beef chunks and toss to coat in the paste. Fry for 2–3 minutes until sealed on the outside.
Pour in the coconut milk and 200ml water. Add the bay leaves and bruised cardamom pods. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to very low. Cover and cook for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is completely tender.
Add the potatoes, whole shallots, and half the peanuts. Season with fish sauce, palm sugar, and tamarind paste. Stir to combine and continue to simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Serve with jasmine rice, scattered with the remaining roasted peanuts. The curry improves overnight as the spices deepen.

Notes

Massaman curry is better the next day: make it ahead whenever possible. The whole bruised cardamom pods added to the braising liquid are not meant to be eaten; remove them with the bay leaves before serving. For a vegetarian version, substitute firm tofu or chickpeas for the beef (reduce cooking time to 30 minutes), omit the shrimp paste, and use soy sauce instead of fish sauce.

The Gastrographer

Name: Massaman Curry
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 5 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Southern Thailand
Ingredients: 6 dried long red chillies, soaked and drained; 2 lemongrass stalks, tender parts only, sliced; 20 g galangal (or ginger), roughly chopped; 3 shallots, roughly chopped; 4 garlic cloves; 6 green cardamom pods, seeds finely ground; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.5 tsp ground cloves; 1 tsp ground coriander, toasted; 0.5 tsp ground cumin, toasted; 1 tsp shrimp paste (kapi); 0.5 tsp fine salt; 700 g beef chuck or shin, cut into 4cm chunks; 400 ml full-fat coconut milk; 200 ml coconut cream; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 1.5 tbsp palm sugar (or light brown sugar); 1 tbsp tamarind paste; 300 g waxy potatoes, peeled and quartered; 6 shallots, peeled and halved; 80 g roasted peanuts, unsalted; 2 bay leaves; 3 cardamom pods, bruised

Mapping Culinary History

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control