Golden Massaman Chicken Curry with Peanuts and Potatoes

⏱ 60 min · Serves 4

Rich, gently spiced and faintly sweet, this Massaman is the mildest of the Thai curries and the most comforting. Coconut milk simmers with warm cinnamon and star anise until the potatoes are silky and the chicken falls apart, while roasted peanuts and crisp fried shallots give it crunch on top.

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp Massaman curry paste
• 400ml full-fat coconut milk (do not shake the tin)
• 250ml chicken stock
• 700g boneless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
• 500g floury potatoes (Maris Piper), peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
• 1 large onion, cut into thick wedges
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1.5 tbsp palm sugar or soft light brown sugar
• 1.5 tbsp tamarind paste
• 80g roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots, to serve
• Handful coriander leaves, to serve
• 1 red chilli, sliced (optional)
• Jasmine rice, to serve

Method

1. Open the coconut milk without shaking and spoon the thick cream from the top into a wide, heavy pan. Set the remaining thin milk aside.
2. Heat the cream over medium heat with the tablespoon of oil until it splits and looks oily, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add the curry paste, cinnamon stick, star anise and cardamom. Fry, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until deeply fragrant and darkened.
4. Add the chicken and turn to coat in the paste for 2 minutes, then pour in the remaining coconut milk and the stock.
5. Stir in the fish sauce, palm sugar and tamarind paste. Bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Add the potatoes, onion wedges and half the peanuts. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30-35 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened to a loose, glossy gravy.
7. Taste and balance: it should be salty, sweet and slightly sour. Add a splash more fish sauce, a pinch of sugar or a little tamarind as needed.
8. Fish out the cinnamon and star anise. Serve over jasmine rice, scattered with the remaining peanuts, crispy shallots, coriander and chilli if you like.