Massaman curry is the outlier in Thai cooking — milder, more aromatic, and more complex than most Thai curries. Its spice profile reflects the influence of Persian and Indian Muslim traders who shaped the southern Thai coast centuries ago: cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, and cloves alongside the Thai foundation of lemongrass, galangal, and coconut milk. Potatoes and peanuts give it body and texture unique in the Thai canon.
Thai Massaman Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 700g (1.5 lb) beef chuck, cut into 4cm cubes
- 800ml (2 cans) full-fat coconut milk (do not shake before opening)
- 3 tbsp massaman curry paste (check label — most are seed oil free)
- 3 medium potatoes, cut into 3cm cubes
- 100g (¾ cup) roasted unsalted peanuts
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp palm sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 tsp tamarind paste (or lime juice)
- Steamed jasmine rice to serve
Method
- Open the coconut milk cans without shaking — spoon the thick cream from the top into a large pot or wok. Heat over medium until it separates and sizzles.
- Add the massaman paste. Fry in the coconut cream for 3 minutes until fragrant and the oil separates.
- Add the beef. Stir to coat in the paste. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining coconut milk, cardamom, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover and cook over low heat for 60 minutes until the beef is beginning to become tender.
- Add the potatoes and peanuts. Cover and cook for 25 more minutes until the potatoes are tender and the beef is very soft.
- Season with fish sauce, palm sugar, and tamarind. Taste — the curry should be rich, mildly spiced, and balanced between savoury, sweet, and slightly sour.
- Serve over steamed jasmine rice.
Is massaman curry seed oil free?
Yes with coconut milk. Check the curry paste — most Thai curry pastes contain only chillies, lemongrass, shrimp paste, and spices with no seed oils.
Why fry the paste in coconut cream?
Frying the paste in the thick coconut cream blooms its flavour compounds into fat, producing a much more fragrant curry than adding paste directly to liquid.
Can I use chicken?
Yes — reduce the initial simmer from 60 minutes to 20 minutes, then add the potatoes and continue.
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