Rosa's Massaman Curry Recipe
Our mildest curry is fragrant with gentle fried shallots, served with steamed rice
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Ingredients
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Massaman Curry
To Serve
Method
Massaman Curry
Prepare shallots
Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced shallots and fry, stirring frequently, until golden brown and crisp, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried shallots to a paper towel-lined plate; reserve 1 tablespoon of oil and the fried shallots separately.
Bloom the curry paste
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the reserved 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the massaman curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and slightly darker. This blooms the spices and releases aroma.
Add coconut milk
Pour in 200 ml of the coconut milk and stir to combine with the paste. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, stirring to loosen paste from the pan and create a smooth sauce.
Brown the chicken
Add the chicken pieces to the pan and stir to coat with the coconut-curry mixture. Cook for 3–4 minutes, turning pieces so they get a light sear but do not fully cook through.
Build the curry
Add the potato cubes, peanuts, remaining 200 ml coconut milk, water or stock, bay leaves, ground cumin and coriander. Stir to combine, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 74°C / 165°F). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Finish and season
Uncover and add fish sauce, palm sugar, tamarind paste, lime juice and salt. Stir and simmer uncovered 3–5 minutes to allow flavors to meld and sauce to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning: more fish sauce to increase saltiness, more sugar to balance, or more tamarind/lime for acidity.
Final touch
Remove bay leaves. Stir in half of the fried shallots so some remain in the curry for texture. If the sauce is too thin, simmer a few additional minutes over medium-low heat to reduce to desired consistency.
To Serve
Cook jasmine rice according to package instructions to yield approximately 3 cups cooked rice (about 1¼ cups uncooked). Keep warm.
Spoon steamed rice into shallow bowls, ladle Massaman curry over the rice, garnish with remaining fried shallots and chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side for extra brightness.
Optional: Offer extra peanuts at the table for additional crunch.