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Rick Stein's Mussaman Beef Curry

Mussaman Paste

• 15 dried red chillies
• 1 tblsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 3 cloves, ground
• 4 peppercorns, ground
• 4 tblsp garlic, chopped
• 4 tblsp shallots, chopped
• 1 heaped tsp shrimp paste
• 2 sticks lemongrass, chopped
• 1 tsp galangal root or ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp fish sauce

Paste Method

1. Soak the chillies in water for 10 minutes and then de-seed.
2. Dry-fry coriander, cumin, cinnamon, peppercorns and dried chillies in non stick pan until the flavours. Transfer to a cold container to stop the cooking process
3. Grind the spices into a powder in a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder.
4. Put spices and all the other ingredients into a food processor and a make fine paste.

Makes One Jar.

Curry Method

1. For the curry, put the beef into a heavy-based pan with 350ml of the coconut milk, an equal amount of water, and the black cardamom pods, cinnamon stick and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring slowly to simmering point, part-cover leaving just a small 1cm gap for the steam to escape, and leave to cook gently for 2 hours, stirring now and then at the beginning of cooking, until the beef is almost tender.
2. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut into 2.5 v 2.5 v 1cm pieces (using a crinkle edged chip cutter if you wish). Peel the shallots and split them in half.
3. Soak the potatoes to remove the starch. Add a pinch of salt and part boil the potatoes for 10 minutes in a separate pan.
4. Uncover the curry and remove and discard the black cardamom pods and cinnamon stick. Stir in the rest of the coconut milk, the potatoes, shallots, curry paste, fish sauce, tamarind water and sugar and simmer gently, uncovered, for a further 25–30 minutes
   or until the potatoes, shallots and beef are tender. Stir in the peanuts, scatter over the basil if using and serve.
   

 

Curry Ingredients

• 1.5kg blade or chuck steak (cut into 5cm chunks)
• 600ml coconut milk
• 6 black cardamom pods
• 10cm cinnamon stick
• 300g waxy new potatoes (such as Charlotte)
• 8 shallots
• 1 quantity Thai mussaman curry paste
• 2 tblsp fish sauce
• 1 quantity Tamarind water
• 1 tblsp palm sugar
• 75g roasted peanuts
• Handful of Thai sweet basil leaves (optional)

Tamarind Water Ingredients

• 60g/2oz tamarind pulp (available at Asian grocers)
• 150ml/5fl oz warm water

Tamarind Water Method

1. Place the tamarind pulp into a bowl and cover with the warm water. Work the pulp between your fingers to break it down, and so that the seeds are released.
2. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, reserving the liquid and discarding the fibrous material that is left behind.