A mild and complex curry. This is one that shouldn't get anything herbal added to it, no basil, no kaffir lime, no cilantro. I also leave out the Thai chiles. Make sure you use a cheap tough cut of beef and braise it slowly; you can use top round or the like, but shank or ox tail would be ideal.
2 lbs of beef, cubed
1 lb of yukon gold potatoes, cubed
1/2 lb of pearl onions, peeled
1/2 C dry roasted peanuts
2-3 T tamarind paste
1 can massaman curry paste
6-7 black cardamoms
fish sauce as needed
1 can of coconut milk, unshaken
Scoop out the fatty top layer of coconut milk, and use this to fry the curry paste until fragrant. Add in the beef, the remainder of the coconut milk, the cardamom, and enough water to cover the beef. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer until tender.
When the beef is just about done, add in the onions, peanuts, and potatoes. When the potatoes are cooked, add the tamarind, adjust the seasoning, and serve.
