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Massaman Curry (Gaeng Massaman)

Name: Massaman Curry (Gaeng Massaman)
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 2 lbs beef, cubed; 2 cans (13.5 oz each) coconut milk; 3 tbsp massaman curry paste; 3 medium potatoes, cubed; 1 large onion, quartered; 1/2 cup roasted peanuts; 2 tbsp tamarind paste; 3 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tbsp palm sugar; 4 cardamom pods; 1 cinnamon stick; 2 bay leaves; 2 tbsp oil

Massaman Curry (Gaeng Massaman) reads umami 7.6, richness 5.9 and funk & ferment 5.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai main, about 2 hr. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 9.1 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 5.6 / 10
Sour & Bright — 4.3 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.2 / 10
Rich & Fat — 7.0 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.5 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.6 · Richness 5.9 · Funk & Ferment 5.5 · Salinity 5.0 · Sweetness 4.9 · Marine & Briny 4.4 · Warm Spice 3.9 · Nutty 3.7 · Sourness 3.6 · Allium 2.7 · Floral 2.6 · Citrus 2.2 · Fruity 2.1 · Earthy 2.0 · Bitterness 1.2 · Heat 1.2 · Herbaceous 1.0

What's in it (13)

2 lbs beef, cubed
2 cans (13.5 oz each) coconut milk
3 tbsp massaman curry paste
3 medium potatoes, cubed
1 large onion, quartered
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
2 tbsp tamarind paste
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp palm sugar
4 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp oil

Time & effort: about 2 hr (30 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 163.7 kcal, 9.4 g protein, 9.1 g fat, 14.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

Fry massaman paste in coconut milk until aromatic.
Add meat, potatoes, whole spices, peanuts, and coconut milk, then simmer slowly until meat is very tender and potatoes are soft.
Balance the sauce with tamarind, fish sauce, and palm sugar for a mildly sweet, sour, and savory finish.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Massaman Beef and Potato Curry — Thai
Thai Coconut Turkey Meatballs in Red Curry — Thai
Thai Coconut Curry Mussels — Thai
Yellow Curry Chicken and Potatoes — Thai
Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup — Thai

Keep reading: what umami, richness, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.