Thai Beef Curry with Peanut Sauce
This is super tasty so a little goes a long way. Its so worth using fresh lime leaves. Lime trees are now available to purchase from good garden centres. I have several plants at home in large pots, which are becoming quite shrubby - the leaves freeze pretty well and make a brilliant gift for a friend who loves to cook. We sell our own grassfed beef in our Farm Shop and in neighbourfood markets.
Serves 4-6
600ml (1 pint) (2 1/2 cups) coconut milk
15-45ml (1-3 tablespoons – 1-3 American tablespoons + 1-3 teaspoons) red curry paste
45ml (3 tablespoons – 3 American tablespoons + 3 teaspoons) fish sauce
30ml (2 tablespoons – 2 American tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) palm sugar or soft brown sugar
2 stalks fresh lemon grass, bruised
450g (1 lb) rump steak, cut into thin strips
75g (3ozs) roasted peanuts, finely chopped (we use a Magimix)
1-2 red chilli, sliced
5 kaffir lime leaves, torn, fresh are best but otherwise use dried
salt and freshly ground pepper
10-15 Thai basil leaves (optional)
Put half the coconut milk into a wok over a medium heat and cook, stirring, until it boils and separates, it will look curdled but don’t worry. Add the red curry paste and cook until fragrant and aromatic – 3 to 4 minutes. Add the fish sauce, palm sugar or brown sugar and lemon grass. Continue to cook gently for a few minutes. Add the rest of the coconut milk. Bring back to the boil.
Add the beef and finely chopped peanuts. Stir and cook gently for 6-7 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Careful not to overcook, remove meat if necessary and reduce the sauce further then add back in the meat with the chillies and kaffir lime leaves. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve with Thai fragrant rice. Garnish with Thai basil leaves, if available.
Note: Remove lemon grass before serving
One Pot Feeds All
