Thai beef mussaman curry

ry this take on a Thai beef mussaman curry, essentially a luscious stew of beef and potatoes in a sweet, sour, tamarind-flavoured coconut sauce. The potatoes absorb the flavor of the sauce, stretch out the meat, and mollify the heat of the chillies. If you can't find Mussaman curry paste in the supermarket or south-east Asian food specialists, use the more readily available red curry paste instead (eg Maesri, Bart's or Blue Dragon brands). And make plenty, because with this curry, the boys always want seconds.

Serves 4

• 600 g chuck or stewing beef
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 400 ml can coconut milk, unshaken
• 1 tbsp Thai mussaman or red curry paste
• 400 ml boiling water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cardamom pods, crushed
• 500 g potatoes, peeled
• 3 red shallots, peeled and sliced
• 2 tbsp peanuts
• 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate or lime juice
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves

1. Cut the beef into 3 cm cubes. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sear on all sides until browned. Remove to a platter.
   
   
2. Take 2 tbsp of the thick cream off the top of the coconut milk, and heat it in the frying pan, stirring well. Add the curry paste and fry over gentle heat for a few mins until the oil seeps out, stirring constantly. Return the beef to the pan, and fry until well-coated. Add the coconut milk and boiling water, salt, cinnamon, bay leaves and cardamom pods and bring to the boil.
   
   
3. Cut the potatoes into bite-sized chunks. Add the potatoes, shallots, peanuts, sugar, tamarind and fish sauce to the curry and simmer gently for 1 hour or until the beef is tender. Taste and adjust flavourings. Serve with steamed rice and coriander.