Massaman Curry

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500g diced lamb or beef

• 4 medium potatoes (around 750g)

• 1 can of coconut milk (400ml)

• 350ml beef stock

• 2 banana shallots

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 1 inch fresh ginger

• 2 dried red chillies

• 1 tsp lemongrass paste or 2 stalks

• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp ground coriander

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

• 1/2 tsp carraway seeds

• 2 tbsp cold water

• 1 tbsp groundnut oil

• 1 tsp tamarind paste

• 1 tbsp fish sauce

• 1 tbsp light brown sugar

• 30g chopped peanuts

• small handful chopped coriander

Method

First off lets make the spice paste and it's so simple. roughly chop the shallots, garlic, ginger and chillies and add to a food processor with the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, mustard and carraway. If you are using a lemongrass paste put that in now otherwise we will add the lemongrass later. Blend this all up with 2 tbsp of water until you have a nice smooth paste.

You can do the bulk of the cooking in either an oven or on the hob for this one so pick a nice deep pot that will go in the oven and on the hob if you want to do it that way.

Heat the oil in the pan then add in the spice paste and the lamb or beef cubes. Fry until the meat has coloured sealing all that lovely flavour in. Now tip in the coconut milk, beef stock and the lemongrass stalks if you haven't used the paste and bring to a simmer.

At this point you can either leave it on the hob covered at a low simmer for 1hr 40mins or transfer to the oven set at 150c (300f) for the same time giving it a stir halfway through.

Once that is done peel and chop the potatoes into 1 inch cubes and add these to the pot with the tamarind, fish sauce and sugar. Return this to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 mins more until the potatoes are done but not mushy (either on the hob or back in the oven)

Now uncover the pan and simmer away for 5 mins or so just to thicken up the sauce.

Now you are done, serve with some rice, garnish with the chopped peanuts and coriander and enjoy.