This vegetable Massaman curry gives you the best of both worlds: a full-flavored and ultra-comforting curry that’s also unfussy enough to whip up on any weeknight.
Massaman curry is traditionally made with larger pieces of meat from the cuts that require low-and-slow cooking for a long time, as well as either waxy potatoes or Asian white-fleshed sweet potatoes. Influenced by Persian cuisine, the fragrant, salty, sweet, and sour curry is typically perfumed with lots of dried spices and flavored with fish sauce, palm sugar, and tamarind.
Instead of Massaman curry paste, which can be time-consuming to make from scratch, this recipe—based on the one my aunt created in the 1970s, when she lacked access to Thai groceries—uses store-bought red curry paste (we recommend a reputable Thai brand, such as Mae Ploy or Maesri). Brown sugar is a handy replacement for palm sugar, while the tart Granny Smith apple stands in for the sour tamarind. Add to all of that a mélange of hearty root vegetables, winter squash, and the autumnal spices of cinnamon and star anise, and you have a very fall-friendly meal that will take you less than an hour to make.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Open one 13.5-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk (do not shake) and scoop about 4 Tbsp. coconut cream off top into a small Dutch oven or large saucepan. Add 3–4 Tbsp. Thai red curry paste, depending on your heat preference, and 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and fat is separated (there should be tiny specks of oil on the surface), about 1 minute.
Step 2
Add 1 large onion, sliced lengthwise 1" thick, ½ small butternut squash (about 8 oz.), peeled, cut into 1" pieces (about 2 cups), 1 large sweet potato (about 8 oz.), peeled, cut into 1" pieces (about 2 cups), 3 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1" pieces (about 1¾ cups), 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. light or dark brown sugar, 4 tsp. fish sauce, two 3" cinnamon sticks or 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 2 whole star anise, and remaining coconut milk to pot; stir well to combine. Pour in low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth or water if needed until liquid is flush with top of solids. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, toast ⅓ cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts in a dry small skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Step 4
Uncover pot and mix in 1 medium Granny Smith apple, scrubbed, cored, cut into ½" pieces, making sure it is submerged; add more broth or water if needed. Increase heat to medium-high and bring curry to a boil, then remove from heat and cover pot. Let curry sit until vegetables are tender, apples are easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, and flavors are melded, about 15 minutes.
Step 5
Taste curry and add more brown sugar and/or fish sauce if needed; you want a balance of salty, sweet, and sour. Fish out cinnamon sticks and star anise pods and discard. Top curry with reserved peanuts and serve with steamed jasmine rice.
Recipe notes
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