Lamb Massaman Curry

Thai cooking and Thai cuisine for this lady? I quite know it all actually due to me and my cooking expertise and me having travelled around Thailand in a good bit. But I must confess I have never ever made Massaman Curry before. Of course there is always a first time and it all began by me peeping into a couple of recipe books and then, deciding on which ingredients will raise alongside each other in tandem for the big bold Thai profound tastes (Thai Tomato Soup, Thai Crispy Fish, Shrimp Pad Thai, Thai Yellow Curry, Thai Fish Noodle Soup, Thai Green Curry & Tom Yum Fried Rice). But considering that beef is generally the meat choice for Massaman Curry, I had to look for an alternative and lamb couldn't be by far the better or best. After all it's not mutton (Nepalese Mutton Curry), it has to be lamb for us (Lamb Spaghetti, Lamb Rogan Josh, Lamb Kofta Curry, Lamb Fried Rice, Malaysian Lamb Stew & Lamb Pho). Lamb Massaman Curry? A must try aromatic, peppery, spicy and delicious till its last drop, another from the Thai curry family tree.

Ingredients

500g lamb (or beef)

2 potatoes - remove skin and cut into chunks 

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp lime juice

1/2 cup thick coconut milk

1/2 cup oil 

Salt for taste (sparingly please because fish sauce is already salty)

For the curry paste (blend/process to a thick paste)

5-6 dried red chillies

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 cloves

3 cardamoms (only the seeds) 

1/2 inch roasted belacan/shrimp paste

1/2 inch galangal/lengkuas

2-3 sprigs coriander leaves (cut off roots, but including the stems) 

1 lemongrass/serai

5 shallots

5 garlic

1/2 tsp lime rind

Method

In the heated oil, fry curry paste till aromatic and oil splits.

Add bay leaves and lamb.

Pour 1/2 liter of water (more if you like)

Stir and simmer till lamb is half cooked.

Add potatoes and season with salt.

Continue to simmer till potatoes and lamb are tender and soft.

Pour in fish sauce, lime juice and coconut milk.

Gently stir and remove from heat.