Make‑Ahead Massaman Beef & Chickpea Curry

Name: Make‑Ahead Massaman Beef & Chickpea Curry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 4 piece dried red chilies; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 inch galangal or ginger; 2 piece shallots; 3 clove garlic; 1 tbsp lemongrass; 600 g beef chuck; 1 tsp kosher salt; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 3 tbsp Massaman curry paste; 400 ml canned full‑fat coconut milk; 400 ml beef or chicken stock; 400 g potatoes; 1 can chickpeas; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tbsp palm sugar; 1 tbsp tamarind paste; 1 piece cinnamon stick; 1 tsp whole black peppercorns; 30 g roasted peanuts; 1 tbsp lime juice; 3 tbsp fresh cilantro; 6 cup cooked jasmine rice; 1 tsp neutral oil; 0.5 tsp salt

A slow‑simmered Thai Massaman curry that develops flavor in the fridge — rich coconut, warm spices, fork‑tender beef and chickpeas. Built to make a big batch and eat across the week.

1 hr 35 min

start to finish

20 min

hands on

Some skill

difficulty

servings

6 servings

Ingredients

If making quick paste (optional; otherwise use 3 tbsp store‑bought Massaman curry paste)

4 piece dried red chiliesstemmed and seeded

If making quick paste (optional)

To finish

1 tbsp lime juicefresh, for brightening
3 tbsp fresh cilantroroughly chopped, for garnish

To serve

6 cup cooked jasmine riceabout 1 cup cooked per serving

Pantry / seasoning

1 tsp neutral oilextra if needed
½ tsp saltfor finishing, to taste

Contains peanut, fish, tree-nut. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Roughly, per serving

570 kcal29g protein38g carbs35g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

If making the quick paste: soak dried chilies in hot water until soft, about 10 minutes.
Toast coriander and cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes; transfer to a bowl to cool.
Pulse the rehydrated chilies, toasted seeds, galangal (or ginger), shallots, garlic and lemongrass in a small blender or food processor until a coarse paste forms; add 1 tsp fish sauce and 1 tsp water if needed to help blend.
Season the beef cubes with 1 tsp kosher salt and set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large heavy‑bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium‑high heat until shimmering.
Sear the beef in batches, without crowding, until browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per batch; transfer browned beef to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium, add a splash (about 1 tsp) of oil if the pot is dry, then add the Massaman paste (store‑bought) or the homemade paste; sauté, stirring, until fragrant and the oil separates slightly, about 2–3 minutes.
Pour in the coconut milk and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
Return the browned beef to the pot, add the stock, cinnamon stick, peppercorns and potatoes, and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover partially and simmer gently until the beef is tender and the potatoes are cooked through, about 60 minutes.
If the liquid reduces too much, add a little more stock or water; adjust heat to keep a gentle simmer.
Stir in the drained chickpeas, palm sugar, tamarind paste and fish sauce; simmer uncovered until the flavors meld and the sauce is glossy, about 8–10 minutes.
Stir in the chopped roasted peanuts and taste; finish with lime juice and additional salt or fish sauce if needed.
Let the curry cool at room temperature for up to 30 minutes before refrigerating in airtight containers.
Reheat gently on the stove over low‑medium heat until warmed through, or microwave individual portions; adjust thickness with a splash of stock or water if the coconut has solidified.
Heat just until steaming to prevent drying the beef; curry often tastes better the next day as flavors mellow.
Serve with cooked jasmine rice and garnish with cilantro and extra chopped peanuts.

Worth knowing

This curry keeps well in the fridge for 4–5 days in an airtight container. The fat in the coconut may solidify — gently rewarm and stir to reincorporate.
To make it quicker, use 3 tbsp store‑bought Massaman curry paste instead of the homemade paste.
If you want a lighter version, use one can light coconut milk plus 400 ml stock, but the curry will be less rich.
Freeze in single portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Adjust heat by choosing milder or hotter store‑bought paste or adding 1–2 chopped fresh chilies when reheating.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

Meal prep

More Thai cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Thai cooking, not any restaurant's recipe.