Remove the stems and seeds from:
7 small dried red chillies
Put chilies into 125 ml warm water together with:
2 pieces dried galangal
Place in a dry skillet:
15 ml coriander seeds
10 ml star anise
5 ml cumin or fennel seeds
5 ml whole cloves
5 ml cardamom seeds (remove from husk)
Roast over moderate heat until the cumin seeds have darkened, the cloves turn green-gray, and the mixture is very fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Remove chilies and galangal from water and chop finely together with:
1 stalk lemon grass
Put all into a blender or mortar and pestle with:
30 ml finely chopped garlic
60 ml finely chopped yellow onion
5 ml shrimp paste
2.5 ml ground black pepper
5 ml ground nutmeg
Grind to a smooth paste. If you’re using a blender or a spice grinder, you may need to add water. Refrigerate until use.
Put 50 ml mussaman paste into a large saucepan with:
800 ml coconut milk
Whisk until it’s well blended, and then add:
500 g beef, pork or chicken, sliced into bite-sized chunks
500 g potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-cm cubes
3-5 kaffir lime leaves –or- 15 ml lime juice
Simmer until the beef is cooked. If it’s too spicy, add up to another 800 ml of coconut milk to make it a little milder.
Put on a baking sheet:
200 ml peanuts (without skins or peels) Broil until just brown and put into the curry. Serve curry over jasmine rice with lots of Thai iced tea available.