THARIT TANGSONGSIRISAK AKA (CHEF YAKUP) Massaman Lamb
- Prep time 30Min
- Cook time 30Hr
- Technique Pan Fry / Saute
- Meat Lamb
- Cut Flank
- Serves 2
A rich and fragrant Massaman curry made with slow-cooked lamb shoulder, roasted walnuts, caramelised onions, and Japanese yam, all served in a hearty hot pot.
Ingredients
CURRY
- 500g lamb shoulder
- 670g Massaman paste
- 300g Palm sugar (chopped into small dice)
- 116g Fish sauce
- 116g Tamarind juice
- 2222g Coconut milk
- 1 Stick cinnamon
- 2 pieces White cardamom
- 50g Pearl onions
- 50g Walnuts
- 100g Shallots
- 100g Japanese yam
- 1 bunch Coriander leaves
- 3 tbsp Rice oil
- 6 tbsp Rice bran oil (for searing)
- 2 stems Lemongrass (sliced roughly)
- 6 Kaffir lime leaves
- 2 small pieces (sliced) Young galangal
MASSAMAN PASTE
- 400g Shallots
- 133g Thai garlic
- 400g Lemongrass
- 50g Young galangal
- 4.4g Kaffir lime leaves
- 23g Kaffir lime skin
- 20g Coriander root
- 20g Coriander seed
- 20g Cumin seed
- 5g White pepper
- 50g Salt
- 100g Dried long chili (soak in warm water for 2 hours)
- 3g Cardamom
- 3g Cloves
- 2.3g Nutmeg powder
- 10g Cinnamon
Method
TO MAKE THE PASTE
- Slice the lemongrass and galangal diagonally, peel the kaffir lime skin, and roughly chop the kaffir lime leaves, Thai garlic, shallots, and coriander root. Roast in a pan on a low heat until dark and dehydrated.
- Toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, white pepper, cardamom, and cloves, then grind them into a powder. Mix with the nutmeg powder and cinnamon powder.
- Soak the dried long chili in warm water for 2 hours.
- Grind all the ingredients together in a meat grinder, first using a rough mould twice, then fine mould once. The paste is now ready.
TO MAKE THE CURRY
- Pour 300ml of coconut milk into a pot and reduce it until it starts breaking apart and oil begins to separate.
- Add the massaman paste and sauté for 5-10 minutes, then add the cinnamon stick and cardamom.
- Add the 300g palm sugar and sauté until the sugar melts and caramelises.
- Add 700ml of coconut milk and sauté for another 5-10 minutes to darken.
- Add 300ml of water and sauté for 5-10 minutes.
- Add the remaining 200ml of coconut milk, fish sauce, and tamarind juice, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Garnish with glazed onions and roasted walnuts.
HOW TO MAKE GARNISH
- Peel the onions.
- In a pan, add 2-3 tbsp of oil. On medium heat, slowly caramelise the onions until they turn golden brown. Set aside.
FOR THE WALNUT GARNISH
- Roast the walnuts at 180°C (fan) for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
- Coat with a little bit of oil and add salt.
FOR THE CRISPY SHALLOTS
- Thinly slice the shallots.
- Rest them on a tray lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
JAPANESE YAM
- Wrap the Japanese yam in foil.
- Roast in the oven at 162°C for 70 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and dice into medium-sized cubes.
THE LAMB SHOULDER
- Shape the lamb shoulder into one large cube and season with salt and pepper.
- In a pan, heat the oil to high heat. Once the oil begins to smoke, add the lamb and sear on all four sides.
- In a sous vide bag, add the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, young galangal, and lamb shoulder. Vacuum seal the bag.
- Sous vide the lamb shoulder at 85°C for 12 hours.
- After sous vide cooking, remove the lamb from the bag and pat dry with a napkin.
- In a pan, heat rice bran oil and sear the lamb on all four sides, or use a gratin.
- The lamb is now ready for plating.
