Eva Pau's beef massaman curry pie

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 20mins

Cook Time: 60mins

900g beef chuck, cut into 1-inch, bite-sized pieces

2 small onions, finely sliced

300g potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

200g carrots

1 can of coconut milk

200ml beef stock

40g palm sugar (or light brown sugar)

1tbsp fish sauce

2tbsp tamarind concentrate

100g roasted salted peanuts

1/2tsp salt

1 sheet of ready to roll puff pastry

Massaman Paste:

1tbsp cumin seeds

1tbsp coriander seeds

8 cardamom seeds

4 cloves

5 dried small red chillies, presoak for 10-15mins in water

½ tsp salt

2 banana shallots

5 cloves garlic, crushed

2 inch galangal, peeled and sliced

3 stalks of lemongrass, white parts only, finely sliced

1/4tsp ground cinnamon

1/4tsp turmeric

1/2tsp white pepper

1tsp shrimp paste (or 1tbsp fish sauce)

Method:

Start by making the paste. In a small shallow frying pan, add the cumin, coriander seeds, cloves and cardamom. Fry on low heat for 2mins until the spices have released their aroma. Add this into a blender, along with all the other massaman paste ingredients.

In a hot wok, add 2tbsp of oil. When hot, add in the paste and fry for a minute until fragrant. Then add in the onions and fry for a further 2mins.

Add the beef and stir fry for 3mins, then add the potatoes and carrots and fry for 2mins.

Add the coconut milk, stock, palm sugar, 1tbsp fish sauce, tamarind, peanuts and 1/2tsp salt. Simmer on low to medium heat with the lid on for 20mins then lid off for a further 30mins or until the beef is tender and the sauce has reduced down.

Spoon the beef curry into a casserole dish and allow to cool. Then roll over the ready made puff pastry and crimp it around the edges to stop any overflow while cooking. Brush it with some egg wash and place it in a preheated oven at 190 degrees for 20-25mins until the pastry is golden brown. Ready to serve.