Massaman curry

Serves 4
Cooking Time Prep time 6 mins, cook 24 mins

250 ml (1 cup)	coconut cream
110 gm	massaman or yellow curry paste (see note)
2	cardamom pods, bruised
2	each of cinnamon quills and star anise
2	fresh bay leaves
6	fresh curry leaves
1	small free-range chicken (about 1kg), jointed (see note)
500 gm	desiree potatoes, cut into 5cm pieces
800 ml	coconut milk
35 gm (¼ cup)	unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
50 gm	soft palm sugar, or to taste
50 ml	fish sauce, or to taste
2 tbsp	tamarind paste (see note)
To serve:	steamed jasmine rice

1

Cook coconut cream in a wok over medium-high heat until split (4-5 minutes). Add curry paste, spices and herbs and fry until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add chicken and potato and fry until sealed (1-2 minutes). Add coconut milk and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until potato is tender and chicken is cooked through (14-15 minutes), adding peanuts and seasoning to taste with palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind in the last few minutes of cooking. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

Note Massaman and yellow curry pastes are available from Thai grocers and select supermarkets. Ask your butcher to joint the chicken for you, or substitute with 12 assorted pieces of drumstick, thigh and breast. Tamarind paste is available from Asian grocers and select supermarkets.