Thailand's mildest curry reflects centuries of southern Muslim-Indian-Persian trade: coconut milk, potato, peanuts and dried Kashmiri chillies. Voted world's most delicious food by CNN in 2011.
About Massaman Curry
Thailand's most spice-traded curry: a rich, mild, Indian-influenced preparation of beef or chicken in a coconut milk broth with potatoes, onion and roasted peanuts; the paste of dried Kashmiri chillies, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom and cumin reflects centuries of Muslim southern Thai cooking; voted CNN's most delicious food in the world in 2011.
Southern Thailand's Curry
Massaman is Thailand's mildest and most aromatic curry, a rich coconut-milk braise of beef or chicken with potato, onion and roasted peanuts. Its paste of dried chillies, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom and cumin reflects centuries of Muslim cooking in the south of the country. It is warm and fragrant rather than fiery.
“Massaman is Thailand's mildest and most aromatic curry, a rich coconut-milk braise of beef or chicken with potato, onion and roasted peanuts.”
The Mildness
Unlike the chilli-forward curries of central Thailand, massaman is gentle, its warmth coming from black pepper and warm spices rather than fresh chilli. The richness is built from coconut cream and roasted peanuts, and the long braise makes the meat tender. It is a curry of depth and comfort rather than heat.
The Trade Routes
The spice profile of massaman, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom and cumin, is the imprint of old trade between Thailand and the Indian, Persian and Malay worlds. The dish grew up in the Muslim communities of southern Thailand, a meeting of Thai ingredients and spices carried along centuries of sea routes. It tastes of that history.
How It Is Eaten
Massaman is best with beef, whose long braise suits the rich, slightly sweet sauce, the potato turned tender and the peanuts keeping their bite. It is eaten with jasmine rice to soak up the broth. Comforting and complex, it is the Thai curry that most clearly carries the flavours of the wider region.
What to Expect
The massaman arrives in a deep bowl, the broth rich and slightly sweet, the potato tender, the peanuts floating. The beef is falling-tender from the long braise. The spice is warm rather than sharp.
Why Try It
Massaman curry carries the imprint of the Silk Road, with cardamom, star anise and cinnamon woven into a Thai broth, tracing trade routes that stretched across continents for seven centuries.
Insider Tips
- Order it with beef (massaman nuea), the long braise suits beef better than chicken.
- The roasted peanuts should retain their texture, soft peanuts indicate they were added too early.
- Eat in southern Thailand for the most authentic version.
