Massaman curry

This is an easy paste to make and tastes very nice without the optional extra ingredients, if you don’t have them. If you are serving more people, slightly increase the paste ingredients proportionally to your extra coconut milk.

Serves 6:

Paste Ingredients:

3 cloves garlic

2 inches fresh ginger (about size of the end of your thumb)

4 inch stalk of lemongrass, diced initially before processing

4 red chilies (or 1 tsp dried chili flakes)

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander seeds (freshly ground is best if you have the seeds)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

5 whole cloves

2 large kafir lime leaves

seeds from 5 cardamom pods, ground (optional)

1 tsp shrimp paste (optional and try and ensure no bad oils)

4 Medjool dates, pitted

1/2 red onion

1/4 cup coconut milk (I use TCC Premium brand)

Method for the Paste:

Process all ingredients until a smooth paste. Set aside until ready to cook.

Ingredients for the Curry:

2-3 x 400mL tins of coconut milk (minus the 1/4 cup you used in the paste) – adjust depending on numbers

1 -2 cups fresh coriander, chopped (1 small bunch works fine)

2-4 white potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 organic chicken breasts, diced or whatever meat you want (optional if you want meat)

1/2 brown onion, chopped (or use the other half of the red onion from the paste)

1/2 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup Tamari (or soy sauce)

2 cups green beans, chopped

Method for the curry:

Add 1 Tbsp organic cold pressed coconut oil to a wok or large saucepan. Fry the paste you made earlier for about 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the remaining coconut milk and fresh coriander and stir well. Then add the potato, sweet potato and meat (if using).

Once simmering add the 1/4 cup of Tamari or soy sauce and slow cook for approximately 40 minutes until the potato is almost tender. Add the green beans and cook for another 10 minutes until everything is cooked. Add the raw cashews for the last 2 minutes.

Serve over brown rice or quinoa.