A healthy food & lifestyle blog specifically catering for & dealing with the symptoms & conditions of : Endometriosis, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) & Intracranial Hypertension (IH).
Looking at healthy food & food alternatives- redesigning classic recipes & new recipes;
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Before undertaking any recipes found on this blog please look to the note in 'Cookery' !

Sunday 29 September 2013

Massaman Beef...

When I make curries I like to make them completely from scratch...no short cuts!!!

It may seem like a hassle to many but I like to know what is going in my food, but I also really enjoy knowing that I made something completely by myself.
Well except from farming the meat and growing the herbs and veggies- my garden isn't that good yet!!

Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
   1-2 pounds beef (lamb or chicken can also be used), cut into cubes or thin pieces
   2 1/2 cups beef or vegetarian 'beef' stock
   1/3 cup diced onion
   3 bay leaves
   1-2 potatoes, sliced into chunks 
   Handful fresh coriander or basil
Curry Sauce:
   1 thumb-piece ginger, grated OR 1/2 tbsp. ground ginger
   4-5 cloves garlic
   1 stalk lemongrass, diced OR 2-3 tbsp. frozen prepared lemongrass
   1 red chilli, sliced, OR 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. chili flakes or cayenne pepper
   1/4 cup chopped peanuts or cashews
   1 tsp. ground coriander
   2/3 tsp. ground cumin seed
   1/2 tsp. white pepper
   1 tsp. turmeric
   1/8 tsp. cardamom
   1/8 tsp. ground cloves
   1/8 tsp. cinnamon
   1/8 tsp. nutmeg
   1 tsp. tamarind, or substitute 1 tbsp. lemon or lime juice
   1 tbsp. low GI cane sugar
   3/4 tsp. sesame oil
   2 tbsp. oyster sauce
   400 ml can coconut milk
Method:
  1. Place stock in a large pot over high heat. Add the meat, onion and bay leaves. If using fresh lemongrass, also add the upper leftover stalk pieces. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, until you get a nice simmer. Cover or partially-cover with a lid and simmer 40 to 80 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender or near-tender (Note: you can also choose to skip this step - see note below recipe).
  2. Add all 'curry sauce' ingredients, stirring with each addition. If desired, hold back a few tablespoons of the coconut milk for serving. Also add the potatoes. Return to a boil, then continue simmering 30 more minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.
  3. Taste-test the curry, adding more fish sauce for increased flavor/saltiness, or more chili if you want it spicier. If too sour, add a little more sugar. If too salty or sweet for your taste, add a touch more tamarind or lime juice. If too spicy, add more coconut milk (regular dairy cream or homo milk will work too).
  4. Transfer to a serving bowl, or plate up on individual plates or bowls. Top with fresh coriander or basil plus some additional nuts if desired. Drizzle over reserved coconut milk (if desired), and serve with Coconut Rice.
ENJOY!
Time-Saving Tip: In this recipe I have chosen to pre-boil the meat for more tenderness - it takes longer, but I find the resulting taste worth it.
However, if you're in a hurry, you can easily cut back on this step (if simmering meat 30 minutes or less, leave off lid or reduce stock to 2 cups).

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