Ingredients
- •4 lb chuck roast, cut into 2-inch chunks
- •2 tsp kosher salt
- •4 tbsp massaman curry paste
- •1 can (14 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- •1 cup coconut cream
- •2 tbsp fish sauce
- •2 tbsp tamarind paste
- •2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- •4 cardamom pods, cracked
- •1 cinnamon stick
- •3 star anise
- •2 bay leaves
- •½ cup roasted peanuts
- •1 lb baby gold potatoes, halved
- •1 large onion, quartered
- •Steamed jasmine rice for serving
- •Fresh Thai basil and roasted peanuts for garnish
Instructions
In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of coconut cream over medium heat until it splits (oil separates).
Add massaman paste and fry for 2–3 min until deeply fragrant.
Add remaining coconut cream, coconut milk, fish sauce, tamarind paste, and palm sugar. Stir to combine.
Add cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, and bay leaves. Simmer 5 min, then cool completely.
Season chuck roast chunks with kosher salt.
Place beef in vacuum-seal bags, dividing between 2 bags.
Pour cooled curry sauce over the beef, dividing evenly.
Vacuum seal or use water displacement to remove air.
Preheat sous vide bath to 165°F (74°C).
Submerge bags and cook for 24 h.
About 30 min before serving, boil or steam the halved potatoes until tender, about 12 min. Drain.
In a dry skillet, char the quartered onion wedges cut-side down until blackened, 3–4 min.
When the cook is done, pour bag contents into a large saucepan. Remove whole spices.
Add cooked potatoes, charred onions, and peanuts to the curry.
Simmer gently for 10 min to bring everything together.
Taste and adjust with fish sauce, tamarind, or sugar for balance.
Serve over steamed jasmine rice with Thai basil and extra roasted peanuts.
Notes
- •Massaman is the mildest Thai curry — rich and sweet rather than fiery
- •Splitting the coconut cream before adding the paste blooms the spices properly
- •Cooking potatoes separately prevents them from going mushy in the bag
- •This curry improves dramatically overnight; make it ahead for the best flavor