From bierce@nowhere.com Tue Jan 20 12:42:58 2004 Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2004 04:20:44 +0000 (UTC) From: Ambrose Bierce Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes Subject: Massaman Curry (2) Collection Followup-To: rec.food.cooking, rec.food.recipes Massaman Nuea (Beef Massaman Curry) Massaman Curry Paste Submitted by: pim This recipe looks daunting, but I promise it will be the best Massaman Curry you have ever tasted. Even if you opt for the canned paste rather than using this recipe, the process of marinating and simmering the beef in coconut milk and the addition of spice during the cooking will improve the taste dramatically Massaman Paste 15 medium pieces of dried chili, soaked, seeded, chopped 1/4 cup sliced garlic 1/3 cup sliced shallots 1 Tbsp lemongrass, chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp white pepper 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp galangal, peeled, chopped 1 tsp kaffir lime zest 1 tsp cilantro roots, scraped, chopped 1 Tbsp salt 1 tsp shrimp paste, roasted Beef and Marinade 1 kg beef (I use the Chuck cut) 1 tsp ginger, julienned 2 cup coconut milk* 2 Tbsp fish sauce To finish the curry 2 Tbsp oil 2 cup coconut cream* 1 Tbsp whole cardamom 1 inch piece of cinnamon 150 g peanuts 5 whole shallots, peeled 1/4 cup palm sugar 1 Tbsp tamarind, mixed with 1/3 cup warm water and strained 2 Tbsp fish sauce First you marinate the beef: Cut the beef into large chunks and marinate them in the coconut milk and julienned ginger. Set aside for at least 30 minutes before proceeding to the next step. Simmer the beef chunks in the marinade in for another half an hour. Next you pound the curry paste: (Note: This step is optional. You could just skip it if you opted for a commercial canned version. The resulting Massaman won't be as good, of course, but still quite acceptable.) While the beef is simmering, grind all the Masaman paste ingredients together in a blender until the paste resembles a fine puree. You can add a little water to the paste if it became too thick to be processed. Take care not to add too much water or the paste will create a nasty splash when cooked. Now you make the curry Heat up a large wok or saute pan with 2 Tbsp oil, add the massaman paste and cook for a few minutes, stirring vigorously. Add a cup of the coconut cream to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste is completely dissolved into the coconut cream. Let the mixture bubble for a few minutes until a layer of oil begins to separate from the mixture. Add the rest of the coconut cream and let it bubble away for another few minutes until the oil begins to separate again. Add the whole cardamoms, shallots, peanuts, palm sugar, tamarind water, and fish sauce. Add the contents of the beef pan, and continue to simmer until the beef is tender. Be careful not to let the curry boil too vigorously at this stage or the coconut cream will curdle. Just let the pot simmer gently until the beef is tender. Check the seasoning before turning off the stove. The taste should be spicy (not too hot, but very spicy), salty, sweet, with an ever-so- slightly sour aftertaste, in this order. Do not let it be cloyingly sweet. Serve with freshly steamed Thai jasmine rice, or Naan bread. Massaman Curry Paste If I had to pick a curry paste that was my favorite to make, it would have to be this one. While it is not my favorite curry paste to use, there is almost something sensuous about making it. This curry paste, influenced by the large Muslim population in southern Thailand, is filled with wonderfully aromatic spices. This curry paste is usually used to make hearty stews and dipping sauces for Satay dishes to be enjoyed on special occasions. 3 ounces dried New Mexico or California chile peppers 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed 1 teaspoon coriander seed Seeds from 2 cardamom pods or 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric Pinch ground cloves 1/2 cup finely minced shallots 1/3 cup finely minced garlic 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt 3 tablespoons sliced lemongrass 2 tablespoons fresh galangal or gingerroot 1 teaspoon shrimp paste Cover the chile peppers with warm water and let sit for 30 minutes. While the chiles are soaking, toast the cumin, coriander, and cardamom seeds in a wok or small frying pan over medium low heat for five minutes, tossing frequently, or until the seeds are toasted and fragrant. Grind or crush the seeds into a fine powder, and then place the powder in the bowl of a food processor along with the white pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric, and cloves. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly, or until the garlic and shallots are tender and just starting to brown. Do not overcook. Place the shallots and garlic into a large mortar and mash coarsely with the pestle. Transfer the shallots and garlic to the food processor. Place the salt, lemongrass, and galangal into the mortar and pound with pestle briefly to break down the fibers and release the oils. Add the lemongrass mixture to the food processor along with the shrimp paste. Drain the chile peppers, reserving the liquid. Halve all of the soaked peppers using gloves and a sharp knife. Remove the seeds and any tough ribs and then coarsely chop. Add the chiles to the food processor. Process the ingredients until a thick smooth paste forms, adding a tablespoon of the chile liquid every 30 seconds or so until the mixture is smooth and you have added between 6-8 tablespoons of liquid. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month or freeze for up to 3 months. Makes about 1 cup curry paste. Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes -- Rec.food.recipes is moderated by Patricia Hill at recipes@swcp.com. Only recipes and recipe requests are accepted for posting. Please allow several days for your submission to appear. Archives: http://www.cdkitchen.com/rfr/ http://recipes.alastra.com/