Ingredients

• 1 tbsp cardamom seeds
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp black pepper corns
• 8 cloves
• 1/3 nutmeg
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 8 Garlic cloves
• 4 shallots
• 1 inch piece of ginger or galangal
• Thick part of lemon grass
• 4 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil for cooking
• 1 dried chili
• Kaffir lime zest (if you have any)
• 6 chicken thighs (cut in bite size pieces)
• 1 can coconut milk (400ml) Just under 2 cups
• 1 Brown onion
• Half cup roasted peanuts
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon brown or palm sugar (optional)
• 3 tbsp Fish sauce
• 2 medium large waxy potatoes (peeled)
• ¼ cup peanuts (roasted and peeled)
• Fresh coriander leaves

Steps

• Step 1

  Add the spices, fennel, cardamom, nutmeg, coriander seeds, back pepper corns, cloves to a dry pan and toast them on medium heat until you smell the aromas. Place in mortar and pestle with a little salt and pound into a powder, then remove spice mix and set aside.

• Step 2

  In the same pan, add a little vegetable oil, then add the smashed garlic cloves, roughly chopped shallots, chopped lemon grass, ginger, coriander root, kaffir lime zest and dry chili seeds removed. Fry until golden brown. Transfer to the same mortar and pestle. Pound into a paste. You could also use a food processor. Then add back the spice mix and pound into a paste.

• Step 3

  Into a pan the same pan, add a little vegetable or coconut oil and sear the chicken thigh pieces. Set aside.

• Step 4

  To the same pan, add a little coconut milk and let it reduce until it breaks up into fat. Add three or four tablespoons of your massaman curry paste. Cook it just enough to release the aromas then add the chicken thighs. Stir well until they are nicely coated.

• Step 5

  Cover with half coconut milk, fish sauce and water.

• Step 6

  Add sliced onion and potato pieces cut into one inch (2cm) cubes. Leave to cook on low heat for 15 minutes.

• Step 7

  While it’s cooking, peel, dice the potatoes and have ready to add once the 15 minutes are up. Cover with a lid and gently simmer on low heat for another 20 minutes.

• Step 8

  Remove lid and reduce for another 15 minutes or until the sauce is a nice consistency.

• Step 9

  Serve on rice or with roti, sprinkled with sprinkled chopped coriander leaves.

Little Tips

Left over curry paste will keep for a week in fridge or months in sealed plastic bag in freezer.