The classic flavours of a Thai Massaman curry but made in a slow cooker? I didn’t think you could find a shortcut when making the king of curries until I tried this easy yet authentic Massaman recipe. With its intriguing fragrant sauce, melt-in-the-mouth beef and chunks of tender potatoes, our slow cooker curry sings comfort at every bite.
How to make Massaman curry cooked in the slow cooker: key tips
The beauty of this curry is that nothing needs to be cooked off before adding it to the slow cooker. Instead, everything just melds together as they slowly bubble away. You do, however, need to toss the beef in plain flour before adding to the pot as this thickens the sauce – but this is really simple. If you’re in a rush, you can also opt to cook the curry on high for 4 hours.
Key ingredients in our easy Massaman recipe
We use chuck steak in our easy Massaman recipe, but any of the “lesser” cuts of beef will do. These cuts have more connective tissue and need to be slowly cooked. The good news is that they’re cheaper than a premium cut like beef fillet. Other lesser cuts you can use include gravy beef (also known as shin) and round or blade steak. Massaman curry paste is available at major supermarkets. Read the ingredients: A good brand should have loads of fragrant spices as well as tamarind and lemongrass.
Use this simple recipe for Massaman beef as an excuse to prepare a Thai feast. Start with curry puffs and spring rolls, then serve the Massaman curry along with a squid salad and pad Thai.
Recipe notes and amendments by recipe tester Alison Adams.
Ingredients
- 600g chuck beef steak, cubed
- 300g chat potatoes quartered
- 1 brown onion finely chopped
- 210g massaman Thai curry paste
- 2 tbs plain flour
- 2 cups chicken stock (liquid)
- 400ml Woolworths Essentials Coconut Cream
- 2 tbs fish sauce
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 1 tbs brown sugar
- 2 cups white rice *to serve
Method
-
Step 1Place onion and potatoes in slow cooker. Add curry paste, coconut cream and mix.
-
Step 2Add chicken stock, fish sauce, lemon juice and brown sugar. Mix again.
-
Step 3Place flour in plastic bag then add the steak and shake until meat is coated in flour. Add steak to slow cooker.
-
Step 4Cook in slow cooker on low for 8 hours. Serve with rice.
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker
Recipe Notes
What is in Massaman curry paste?
Thai curry pastes are based on a combination of local ingredients like shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal and shrimp paste. What is different with Massaman curry paste is that it also includes spices more common to Indian or Persian recipes, like cumin, coriander, cardamom, cloves, star anise, nutmeg and cinnamon. These spices impart a warmth and fragrance that sets it apart from red, green and yellow curries.
What cut of beef should I use?
Scotch rump and fillet are both great cuts of meat and are perfect for pan-frying and grilling. They are, however, quite expensive and are wasted when using a slow cooker. Instead, for slow cooking, you need to use what is known as a “lesser” cut of meat. These are pieces from the parts of the animal that does most of the work. These cuts have more connective tissue, which when slowly cooked, breaks down and turns into tender gelatinous meat. We use chuck steak in this Massaman curry recipe which is from the shoulder of the cow. You don’t have to stick to it though, other good choices are gravy beef (also known as shin), round steak and blade steak. Whatever cut you use, make sure you cut it into substantial pieces. When cooking a green or red curry you generally add the meat a few minutes before serving so you use thin slices of beef, pork or chicken fillet. In this recipe, the beef is in the slow cooker the whole cooking time, so you want hearty pieces, about 3-4cm in size.
Why has my coconut cream split?
Slow cooking can be the enemy of cream – be it dairy or coconut. When simmered for a long time, water separates from the fat and solids, making it look curdled. Don’t worry though, it is completely safe to eat. Because the meat in this curry is tossed in flour before being added to the liquid, the sauce is stabilised, which lessens the chances of the coconut milk splitting. If you want to avoid all possibility of this happening, you could cook the potatoes and beef in the stock and add the coconut cream towards the end.
What other meats can I use in my Massaman curry?
Aside from beef, the flavours of a Massaman curry also go well with chicken, duck, lamb and goat. Pork is not commonly used in a Massaman curry as its origins lie with the local Muslim population of Thailand. You can also turn this curry into an amazing vegetarian dish. Omit the beef and swap the chicken stock for vegetable. Cook the potatoes in the sauce as per recipe and add frozen cauliflower florets, green beans and tofu in the last 20 minutes of cooking. Just remember, fish sauce is made on salted anchovies and not suitable for a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Recipe Reviews (109)
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Log in Register