Massaman Curry Recipe,(Thai Food Easy)

Massaman curry is a unique type of curry amongst the various Thai curries because it is more like an Indian curry using mainly dried spices for seasoning. Chicken is the most popular meat in this curry in the West but beef, lamb or even mutton is more common in Thailand. This curry is considered to be rather mild as the heat of the chilies are mellowed with the addition of the dried spices, coconut milk, onions, potatoes and peanuts. This fragrant hearty curry would certainly be welcome winter fare and could be served with a crusty loaf of Sourdough bread or roti and a glass of good Bordeaux wine (see our Massaman Curry blog post).

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. beef shoulder (chuck roast) or stew beef, sliced
• 3 tablespoon whole raw peanuts
• 4 cup water
• 1 medium-sized potato, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil (soybean, peanut or corn oil)
• 3-4 tablespoon Massaman curry paste, homemade or ready-made (we recommend excellent Nittaya brand)
• 1 1/2-2 cups coconut milk Chaokoh brand coconut milk
• 6 whole Thai cardamom seeds, cracked and dry roasted*
• 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick, dry roasted*
• 2 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar
• 2 tablespoon tamarind water
• 1/4 large white onion, cut into pieces (or 12 peeled whole white pearl onions)

 

Preparation

1. Open the coconut milk and scoop the thick coconut cream from the top and set aside (see more details about coconut cream).
2. Bring the 4 cup of water, beef and peanuts to boil, skimming the scum from the surface for about 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium and continue to cook at a low boil uncovered, for approximately one hour. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Separately, bring the potatoes to boil in enough water to cover for approximately 20 minutes until just slightly under-cooked (al dente). Drain and discard the potato water (or reserve to make your own sourdough mix!). Set the potatoes aside. While the beef is cooking you may make the homemade Massaman Curry Paste.
4. Heat oil in a large wok (or other large heavy bottom pan) over medium heat, add the curry paste and cook briefly until fragrant. Add the reserved coconut cream and fry until it begins to separate, stirring constantly. Add the boiled beef and peanuts in its broth and remainder of coconut milk, fish sauce, palm sugar, tamarind, cinnamon stick, potatoes and onion. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes.
5. Adjust seasoning with fish sauce, palm sugar and tamarind water to taste. Massaman curry should be slightly sweet with a very subtle sour note from the tamarind. Serve with pickled ginger or cucumber relish as condiments.

Serves 4. This curry is even better the next day, reheated, so make double portion and freeze any left-overs.
*Learn how to properly dry roast spices for Thai cooking from Thai cooking instructor Kasma Loha-Unchit.

Red Curry with Chicken & Pumpkin (Kaeng Phet Gai Sai Fak Tong),(Thai Food Easy)

This authentic spicy coconut milk based red curry recipe uses homemade Red Curry Paste. Flavored with both fresh sweet basil leaves it is a harmonious dish with chicken. Finish the cooking with the addition of fish sauce to taste and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Ingredients

• Our homemade red curry paste (all of the recipe) or 3 Tablespoons of prepared red curry paste
• 4 cups coconut milk
• 2 lbs (1 kg) small chicken drumsticks or chicken in small pieces (about 1.5" x 2")
• 3 cups (600 grams) pumpkin pieces (about 1" x 1.5")
• 2 cups lightly packed fresh sweet basil or 4 kaffir lime leaves

Preparation

Bring coconut milk to a boil in a large pot over high heat, stirring frequently. Just before boiling add the curry paste and stir to blend. Once blended in, add the chicken and pumpkin. Boil until chicken and pumpkin is cooked through, less then 10 minutes. Check the pumpkin by piercing with a sharp knife - it should still be bright orange and retain some firmness (al dente) as it will continue to cook once the heat is turned off. When cooked add the sweet basil leaves or kaffir lime leaves, stir in to mix and then immediately remove from the heat. Season with fish sauce if desired (but not normally needed). Serves 4 people for 2 meals - it is even better the second day when the pumpkin has absorbed some of the curry spices.
Notes: If Thai sweet basil is not available in your area, either omit or substitute other fresh herbs such as coriander or European basil. See our Thai ingredients page for more details. Be sure to visit our grocery for all the fresh Thai herbs you need, including fresh basil, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf and turmeric root.

Thai Green Curry (Gaeng Kiaw Wan Neua), (Thai Food Easy)

Green Curry tends to be one of the milder curries of Thai cuisine. The name Gaeng Kiaw Wan literally means 'sweet green curry' but if you prefer a spicy curry, simply increase the amount of fresh green Thai chili peppers in the curry paste recipe. This recipe features beef but it could also be prepared with chicken, pork or fishballs. Serve over steamed jasmine rice, accompanied by crispy fried fish, a cooling clear soup (gaeng joot) and Thai chili paste (nam prik) with fresh steamed or raw seasonal vegetables.

Ingredients

• 400 grams beef (a little less then 1lb.)
• 1 tbsp cooking oil (corn, safflower or peanut oil, not olive oil)
• 3 tbsp green curry paste (see our green curry paste recipe or use prepared curry paste)
• 2 1/2 cups coconut milk (1 1/2 cans Chaokoh brand coconut milk or squeezed out from 400 grams grated fresh coconut)
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, torn
• 5-10 small fresh Thai eggplants, quartered
• 2-3 fresh red spur chilies*, sliced diagonally
• 1/4 cup sweet basil leaf (optional)
• 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp palm sugar
• Sweet basil leaves and red chili slices for garnish

Preparation

1. Slice the beef into thin pieces, about about 1/3" (3 cm) thick.
2. Saute the green curry paste in oil over medium heat in a wok or saute pan until fragrant, reduce the heat, gradually add 1 1/2 cups of the coconut milk a little at a time, stir until a film of green oil surfaces.
3. Add the beef and kaffir lime leaves, continue cooking for 3 minutes until fragrant and the beef is cooked through. Transfer to a large pot, place over medium heat and cook until boiling. Add the remaining coconut milk, season with palm sugar and fish sauce. When the mixture returns to a boil add the eggplants. Cook until the eggplants are done, sprinkle sweet basil leaves and red chilies over, then turn off the heat.
4. Arrange on a serving dish and garnish with sweet basil leaves and red chilies before serving.

Note: *Miniature red bell peppers or other mild red pepper may be used in place of the spur chillies.

How to cook Tom Yum Seafood, (Thai Food Easy)

This Thai soup recipe comes from the wife of country doctor I once knew in Southern Thailand. She had the good fortune to have a shrimp-farming relative living nearby. This simple spicy, fragrant lemongrass soup cooks in one pot in less than 30 minutes. Tom Yum is the classic spicy and sour soup from Thailand and is served with jasmine rice and one or two other dishes as part of a Thai family meal. The Thai word talay or taleh means 'sea' and of course refers to the mixed seafood in the soup. Note you can use any combination of seafood, including mussels as pictured.

Ingredients

• 3 cups water
• 1-2 pcs fresh lemon grass, tough tops cut off, cut into 3" lengths
• 3 pcs garlic, smashed with the side of a cleaver
• 2 tsp of sea salt (only!)
• 2 small whole squid (optional), cleaned and sliced crosswise into 1/2" rings
• 3/4-1 lb dark, oily flesh fish such as mackerel, cleaned and cut into 3" long pieces (including bones and head if you like)
• 1/4 lb small to medium-sized shrimp, heads and shell removed, tail intact
• 2-3 limes, juiced
• 3-4 pcs fresh kaffir lime leaf
• 4+ fresh Thai chilies (prik kee noo), as few or many as you like
• Fish sauce (Golden Boy brand is recommended)
• Fresh tomato, sliced lengthwise into 6 pieces

Preparation

Bring water, lemon grass, garlic, and sea salt to a boil for 4 minutes. There should be just enough water to cover the seafood once it is all added, by about 1 inch.
Add squid and fish. Boil another 2 minutes. Add shrimps. Add juice of 2 limes, kaffir lime leaf, chilies. Taste and adjust seasoning with fish sauce if needed. Add tomato. Turn off heat. Serve with large soup spoons and jasmine rice.
Notes: You can buy frozen whole mackerel and whole squid in markets catering to Asians, if you cannot find it fresh. Fresh shrimp are wonderful if you are fortunate enough to have a source!

How to cook Tom Yum Goong ,(Thai Food easy)

Tom Yum is probably the most famous of Thai soups and is popular not only in Thailand but in Thai restaurants worldwide. It is a clear, sour soup flavored with fragrant lemon grass, fresh galangal root and kaffir lime leaf. This potent herbal mixture is well known for its medicinal properties.
Tom Yum Goong is the most well-known variety of Tom Yum and makes use of shrimp (in Thai: goong or kung) as the main ingredient of the dish but you may also use firm flesh fish (see Tom Yum Taleh), chicken (see Tom Yum Gai) or mushrooms for a vegetarian version.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of water
• 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, trim off the very end of the root and smash with the side of a cleaver or chef's knife; cut into 1 inch pieces; or 2 pc dried
• 3 slices fresh galangal root (smashed) or 2 pc dried
• 3 fresh kaffir lime leave or 4 pc dried
• 1 tbsp. tamarind paste, with or without seeds
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce, Golden Boy brand preferred
• 3/4 lb shrimps, medium to large size, shelled and de-veined; butterfly if desired
• 12 fresh Thai chili peppers, whole or 2 medium sized jalepenos, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips.
• 1/2 small white onion, cut 1/4 inch slices
• 2 tbsp. roasted chili paste (nam prik pao)
• 1 (16 oz.) can straw mushrooms, drained and rinsed
• 1 small ripe tomato, cut into wedges 1/4 inch thick
• 1 small lime, squeezed
• 2 sprigs fresh cilantro

 Preparation

Bring water to boil over high heat in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the lemon grass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, fish sauce and tamarind paste (break apart the tamarind paste with your fingers as you add it). Add the shrimp, bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Add the onion, nam prik pao and straw mushrooms. Boil for another 7 minutes until the shrimp is cooked through. Add the chile peppers and tomatoes. Turn off the heat. Add the lime juice. Taste to adjust the seasoning, adding fish sauce to taste. Garnish with cilatantro, roasted whole chili peppers and a splash of coconut mik if desired and serve hot. Serves 3 to 4.