Massaman Curry

also called gaeng massaman · gaeng massamun · matsaman · mussaman curry · massaman beef · massaman

Three ways to read this recipe

The table

Massaman Curry: ingredients down the left, what to do with them across. Tap any cell to cross it off.
1 cup(240 mL)coconut creamcrack the cream 5 minfry the paste 4 minsimmer 90 minsimmer 25 minseason off the heat
1/2 cup(120 g)massaman curry paste
2 lb(900 g; in 1 1/2-in cubes)beef chuck
28 oz(800 mL; two cans)coconut milk
1cinnamon stick
2bay leaves
1 lb(450 g; in big chunks)Yukon Gold potatoes
8(peeled)pearl onions
1/2 cuproasted peanuts
1/4 cup(60 mL)tamarind water
3 Tbsfish sauce
2 Tbspalm sugar
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.13 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1crack the cream 5 min

2fry the paste 4 min

goes in with what step 1 made

3simmer 90 min

goes in with what step 2 made

4simmer 25 min

goes in with what step 3 made

5season off the heat

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 2 hr 4 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
9 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 5 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 2 hr 30 min.

  1. crack the cream 5 min

    5 minneeds youfrom the start

  2. fry the paste 4 min

    4 minneeds you5 min in

  3. simmer 90 min

    1 hr 30 minwalk away9 min in

  4. simmer 25 min

    25 minwalk away1 hr 39 min in

  5. season off the heat

    not timed2 hr 4 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need dutch oven

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Massaman Curry
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: beef, coconut, thai, potatoes, curry
>> counters: Thai Kitchen
>> aka: gaeng massaman, gaeng massamun, matsaman, mussaman curry, massaman beef, massaman
>> pairs-with: coconut-rice
>> servings: 6
>> time: 2 hr 30 min
>> step.1: crack the cream 5 min
>> step.2: fry the paste 4 min
>> step.3: simmer 90 min
>> step.4: simmer 25 min
>> step.5: season off the heat

Fry @coconut cream{1%cup}(240 mL) in a #dutch oven{} over medium heat for ~fry{5%min}, until it splits and beads its own oil.

Fry @massaman curry paste{1/2%cup}(120 g) into @&(~1)cracked cream{} for ~fry{4%min}, until the whole spice in it wakes up.

Simmer @beef chuck{2%lb}(900 g; in 1 1/2-in cubes), @coconut milk{28%oz}(800 mL; two cans), @cinnamon stick{1} and @bay leaves{2} with @&(~1)fried paste{}, covered and barely bubbling, for ~simmer{90%min}, until the beef gives under a spoon.

Simmer @Yukon Gold potatoes{1%lb}(450 g; in big chunks), @pearl onions{8}(peeled) and @roasted peanuts{1/2%cup} into @&(~1)curry{} for ~simmer{25%min}. This is the slow, gentle one — closer to a stew than to the other four, and it is the only curry here that is better the next day.

Season @&(~1)curry{} off the heat with @tamarind water{1/4%cup}(60 mL), @fish sauce{3%Tbs} and @palm sugar{2%Tbs}. It should land sweet, sour and salty in that order, with the heat somewhere behind all three.