Thai massaman curry (also known as Gaeng Massaman) is a popular traditional dish native to the southern region of Thailand. It’s a rich and creamy curry full of delicious, aromatic spices and made with beef, coconut milk, peanuts and potatoes. While beef is the traditional meat used in a massaman curry recipe, chicken and lamb make great alternatives too (recipes may need to be adjusted to suit the best cooking times for the meat used).
This recipe in part is inspired by Rick Stein ‘s Beef Massaman Curry Recipe as featured in his 1998 book ‘Far Eastern Odyssey’ where he shares his love and discovery of the curry: Rick Stein says: “I found this curry at the hotel I was staying at during filming, the Royal Orchid Sheraton on the Chao Phraya river in the centre of Bangkok.
The Thai restaurant there, called Thara Thong, was unexpectedly good, and I say this because you don’t usually expect to find a really good restaurant in a giant hotel catering for international conferences. The chef was very much a home-style cook specialising in royal Thai cuisine, albeit with a no-nonsense head-chef demeanour about her.
The massaman curry is the Thai version of the Muslim curries of northern India, made really special by the use of fish sauce, shrimp paste, lemongrass and palm sugar, but the element I find beguiling is the black cardamom, which gives the curry a delightfully smoky flavour.” This Thai beef massaman curry is the ultimate comfort food.
Combining a range of spices in a curry paste and fragrant ingredients in a flavoursome but mildly spicy sauce, tender pieces of beef and soft chunks of potatoes. To achieve the perfect fall-apart beef, this recipe requires slow cooking and a little patience but is 100% worth it.
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How to make massaman curry?
Variations and Adaptations: – Vegetarian Massaman Curry: Omit the chicken then either add extra vegetables, or substitute pan fried tofu or paneer (Indian cottage cheese). Vegan Massaman Curry: Omit the fish sauce and chicken and add extra vegetables, tofu or paneer.
Add veggies: mini corn, broccoli, green beans, red bell peppers, zucchini, bamboo shoots, baby corn, cauliflower. Choose your favorite meat: shrimp, tofu, beef, lamb Storing Instructions: For best results, store yellow curry separately from the rice, in air-tight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezing Instructions: Massaman curry can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Serve with fresh cooked rice. You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes! Recipe
- ▢ 2 Tbsp. olive oil, coconut oil or vegetable oil
- ▢ ½ onion, chopped
- ▢ 1 lb. chicken breasts, chopped, or substitute shrimp or tofu
- ▢ 2 medium medium gold potatoes (or russet potatoes), peeled and chopped into small pieces
- ▢ 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/8-inch thick slices
- ▢ 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic
- ▢ 1 4 oz can massaman curry paste or homemade
- ▢ 2 cans (13.5 oz) coconut milk
- ▢ 1 Tbsp. peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
- ▢ 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
- ▢ Juice from 1 lime
- ▢ 2 teaspoons fish sauce (optional)
- ▢ 1/2 c. chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish
- ▢ Cilantro, garnish
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium low heat. Add onion and sauté for a minute until softened. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook for a minute or two. Add chicken, ginger, garlic and curry paste and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken and potatoes are cooked through. Stir in the fish sauce, brown sugar, peanut butter and lime juice. Simmer 5 more minutes.
- Serve with any type of rice (white, brown, and jasmine are my favorites) or over zoodles, spaghetti squash or quinoa.
Add veggies: mini corn, broccoli, green beans, red bell peppers, zucchini, bamboo shoots, baby corn, cauliflower. Choose your favorite meat: shrimp, tofu, beef, lamb Vegetarian Massaman Curry: Omit the chicken then either add extra vegetables, or substitute pan fried tofu or paneer (Indian cottage cheese).
Vegan Massaman Curry: Omit the fish sauce and chicken and add extra vegetables, tofu or paneer. Storing Instructions: For best results, store yellow curry separately from the rice, in air-tight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freezing Instructions: Massaman curry can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Serve with fresh cooked rice. Calories: 402 kcal Carbohydrates: 27 g Protein: 29 g Fat: 21 g Saturated Fat: 3 g Cholesterol: 58 mg Sodium: 436 mg Potassium: 927 mg Fiber: 5 g Sugar: 8 g Vitamin A: 4135 IU Vitamin C: 17 mg Calcium: 54 mg Iron: 2 mg Did You Make This Recipe? Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram with #TastesBetterFromScratch!
What spices are used in massaman curry?
Description – Due to its Muslim roots and therefore Islamic dietary laws, this curry is most commonly made with chicken, but there are also variations on this dish using duck, beef, venison, mutton, goat, or, less commonly, pork, As pork is haram (forbidden) in Islam, this last variant is not eaten by observant Thai Muslims,
- Vegetarians and vegans have created their own versions of this dish, such as using tofu and substituting any shrimp paste or fish sauce used.
- The Muslim roots of the dish are evident in many of the flavors of the massaman curry paste ( nam phrik kaeng matsaman ) that come from spices not frequently used in other Thai curries.
Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cumin, bay leaves, nutmeg and mace would, in the 17th century, have been brought to Thailand from the Malay Archipelago and South Asia by foreigners, a trade originally dominated by Muslim traders from the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, and from the archipelago itself, but increasingly undertaken by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the French East India Company,
- These foreign spices and flavors are then combined with local produce and flavors commonly used in native Thai cuisine such as dried chili peppers, cilantro (coriander) seeds, lemongrass, galangal, white pepper, shrimp paste, shallots, and garlic to make the massaman curry paste.
- The curry paste is first fried with coconut cream, and only then are meat, potatoes, onions, fish sauce or salt, tamarind paste, sugar, coconut milk and peanuts added.
Massaman is usually eaten with rice together in a meal with other dishes. There are also traditional versions using oranges, orange juice, or pineapple juice as additional ingredients.
Is massaman curry gluten free?
Recipe FAQs – What is Massaman curry? Massaman curry is a Thai dish, but it has Malayan and Indian cuisine influences. The name actually comes from a Malayan word, masam which means “sour.” (But don’t worry, this curry isn’t sour.) Now, Massaman curry is most commonly made with chicken, but you can make it with beef, duck, goat, lamb, shrimp, or pork.
- I like chicken, as does my family, so we made this chicken massaman curry recipe and it turned out perfectly.
- I think this is one of my all-time favorite recipes! Is Massaman curry gluten free? Everything in this recipe is gluten free.
- However, while fish sauce is naturally gluten free, some companies have added wheat to it.
So, just double check that the brand you use is wheat-free! What is Massaman curry paste? It is one of the Thai curry pastes. The flavors in Massaman paste aren’t normally found in other Thai curries. These include cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, bay leaves, cloves, nutmeg, and mace.
These spices are then combined with coriander seeds, lemongrass, chili peppers, shrimp paste, galangal, white pepper, shallots, and garlic to make the Massaman curry paste. Where does Massaman curry come from? Massaman curry is a fusion of both Thai and Indian cuisine. The massaman curry is made of a red-style curry paste (Thai) and additional spices such as cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and coriander (Indian).
Where do you buy Massaman curry paste? I purchase Massaman curry paste online so I don’t have to go to a bunch of different grocery stores when I do my shopping. If you’re not one for store-bought curry paste you can make it homemade. To purchase, Massaman curry paste should be available at an Asian grocery store or at speciality grocery stores, usually around the Asian section.
- Quick reminder: make sure you get the paste and not the sauce.
- Can Massaman curry be frozen? Yes! You can freeze Massaman Curry.
- Simply place the curry in an airtight container or ziplock bag.
- You can freeze it for 1 month.
- When you’re ready to eat it, remove the curry from the freezer and let it thaw.
- Empty the curry into a microwave safe bowl and microwave it, or place it in a pot and warm it up on the stove.
The only noticeable difference I observed after freezing the curry was the potatoes and carrots were just a tad softer after being frozen. Other than that you won’t be able to tell any difference between frozen and fresh. 
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- Curry Chicken and Rice
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- Indian Butter Chicken
- Homemade Naan Bread
- Peanut Noodles
- Sesame Noodles
What is the difference between massaman curry and lamb curry?
‘The massaman curry was darker in color than many other versions I’ve eaten throughout Thailand and I could distinctly taste both cumin and cinnamon in the sauce. The lamb was just beautiful, big chunks of succulent lamb, not quite as tender as ox tongue, but still incredibly tender and with a nice spice blend.’
How to make massaman curry with beef?
Page 6 – Toast 1/2 cup of fresh peanuts (shelled and skins removed) in a frying pan for about 5 minutes, or until they are well toasted and slightly browned in some spots. Divide the coconut into two 1 Cup portions. Cut the beefsteak into large chunky pieces of about 2 inches.
Peel and wash the potatoes and cut them into large pieces. Peel the onion and cut it into thick wedges. Cut some mild red chili and kaffir lime leaf into thin slivers. Measure the rest of your ingredients and have them ready for quick access. Heat a wok or deep frying pan, preferably one with a lid, over medium flame.
Add 1 cup of coconut milk and bring it to a boil. Add the curry paste, stirring it in well. Let it fry for about 2 or 3 minutes. As the water steams out of the coconut, what you will have left in the pan are mostly spices, and red oil. Let it fry until a lot of oil comes to the top, but be careful not to burn it.
- Add the beef to the pan and stir into the spices until it is well coated.
- Put the lid on the pan and frying the meat on both sides until it it well sealed.
- If you don’t have a lid for your pan, then you will need to add a little water to keep the curry from drying out.
- If it get too thick it will burn.
Add the second cup of coconut milk, stir in well, and let it get hot again. Add 2 cups of water, stir in well, and let it come to a nice boil. Add the potatoes, onion, peanuts, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Stir in well and bring back to a boil. Put the lid on the pan and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add more water, as needed, to nearly cover the ingredients, especially if your pan doesn’t have a lid.
- After simmering for an hour, taste the curry.
- You’ll probably think that it doesn’t taste good.
- We need to season it with sugar, citrus juice, and tamarind.
- Adding those flavors helps to liven up the spices and make them taste really good.
Add the lime and orange juice and stir it in well. Add about half the sugar and half of the tamarind paste. Stir it all well and let it get hot again. Taste the curry again, and this time you should taste a big improvement. This dish should be sweet at first when you taste it, then all the spices come out and you’ll taste cinnamon, cloves, anise, and other flavors.
After swallowing it should leave a slightly sour taste. If it does, and tastes delicious like you remember Massaman tasting, then you’ve done well. If you think it needs sweeter or more sour, add more sugar or tamarind until it’s perfect. Remove from the heat and let the pan sit for about 15 minutes, until it cools a little and the rich red oils come to the top.
Serve in a bowl big enough to hold it all. Arrange the chunks of beef, potatoes, and the cinnamon on top so they are sticking out of the stew. Garnish with a little slivered red chili and kaffir lime leaves. Thai curries should be served in a bowl that is shared between the diners, with each person having a small plate of steamed white rice.
What are the ingredients in massaman curry?
Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cumin, bay leaves, nutmeg and mace (spices that are not frequently used in Thai curries) are combined with more local flavors such as dried chili peppers, cilantro seeds, lemongrass, galangal, white pepper, shrimp paste, shallots and garlic to make massaman curry paste.
What does matsaman curry taste like?
Kaeng Matsaman Curry (แกงมัสมั่น) is distinctly different in flavor from other red curries. It’s not spicy (hot). You’ll taste the subtle flavors of star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and tamarind. What’s in our Massaman Curry with Beef. How we make our Massaman Curry with Beef.
What is massaman curry paste (nam phrik kaeng matsaman)?
The flavors of the massaman curry paste (nam phrik kaeng matsaman) come from spices that are not frequently used in other Thai curries.
