Massaman Nuea Recipe

Season and dry

Pat beef cheeks dry with paper towel. Season all over with kosher salt (2 tsp) and freshly ground black pepper (1 tsp). Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature while you prep other ingredients.

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or braising pot over medium-high heat until hot. Add 3 tbs vegetable oil. When oil shimmers, sear beef cheeks in batches (do not overcrowd) 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer seared cheeks to a plate.

Lower heat to medium. In the same pot, add the 6 thinly sliced shallots and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic (4 cloves) and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Add 100 g massaman curry paste to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, 2–3 minutes to toast the spices and bloom the paste in the residual oil. Add 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon and the 2 dried bay leaves and stir to combine.

Pour in about 200 ml of the beef stock and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the remaining beef stock (400 ml) and the coconut milk (400 ml) until combined.

Return the seared beef cheeks to the pot, nestling them into the liquid. Add fish sauce (2 tbs), light brown sugar (1.5 tbs), and tamarind concentrate (1 tbs). Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low so the surface barely simmers. Cover partially with a lid.

Braise gently until beef cheeks are fork-tender, about 2.5–3 hours. Check every 30–45 minutes and spoon some braising liquid over the meat. If the liquid level gets low, add small amounts of hot water or stock to maintain about 3–4 cm of liquid above the meat.

When the beef is tender (after ~2 hours), add the potato chunks (600 g) to the pot, pushing them into the sauce around the cheeks. Continue simmering, uncovered or partially covered, until potatoes are tender and sauce has thickened slightly, about 30–45 minutes.

Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning: add more fish sauce for saltiness or 1–2 tsp brown sugar for sweetness if needed. Stir in 1 tbs fresh lime juice to brighten the curry and half of the chopped roasted peanuts (reserve remainder for garnish).

While the beef finishes, make the crispy shallots. In a small heavy skillet or saucepan, heat 150 ml vegetable oil over medium heat. When oil is hot (test with one thin shallot slice — it should sizzle), add the very thinly sliced shallots (4 pcs) in an even layer.

Fry, stirring occasionally, until the shallots turn deep golden to brown and crisp — watch closely because they can go from golden to burnt quickly, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and immediately sprinkle with 0.5 tsp sea salt. (If some bites are intentionally darker for a burnt flavor, that's acceptable; avoid full blackening.)

Remove bay leaves from the pot. Transfer beef cheeks to a cutting board and, if desired, slice or shred crosswise into large pieces; return to the pot with potatoes and sauce to keep warm.

Ladle the massaman nuea into a shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle the reserved chopped roasted peanuts and the crispy shallots over the top. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and sliced scallions (optional). Serve with steamed jasmine rice or roti.