Thai Red Curry Beef
I have friends who make their own Thai curry pastes. I admire them, but it's just too much work for me. I use Mae Ploy brand paste, and am pleased with the results. This curry cooks while the rice steams, giving you a complete dinner in one pot. Blade roast is a cut of shoulder (a flat-iron steak is half a blade roast) that's more tender than chuck roast, but if you can't find it, just use regular chuck, sliced thin.
I have friends who make their own Thai curry pastes. I admire them, but it's just too much work for me. I use Mae Ploy brand paste, and am pleased with the results. This curry cooks while the rice steams, giving you a complete dinner in one pot. Blade roast is a cut of shoulder (a flat-iron steak is half a blade roast) that's more tender than chuck roast, but if you can't find it, just use regular chuck, sliced thin.
- 14 oz coconut milk ( 1 can)
- 1 ounce thai red curry paste (about 2 tablespoons)
- 12 oz blade roast or flat-iron steak (cut into 1/4 inch
- 1/2 small onion (sliced)
- 1/2 cup long grain white rice (rinsed)
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 medium zucchini (cut into 1/4 inch rounds then cut into
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper (seeded and cut into 1 inch piece
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh basil or cilantro
- 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice (optional)
- 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
- 1/4 tsp fish sauce or soy sauce (optional)
- Carbohydrate 1.04979 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (384g)
- Sodium 151.1562 mg
- Sugar 1.04979 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 4 calories
Step-by-step
- Pour the coconut milk into the inner pot. Add the curry paste and stir to combine. Add the beef and onion.
- Place a trivet in the pot that’s tall enough to clear the meat.
- Place the rice in a heat-proof bowl that holds at least 3 cups. Add the water and salt, and stir to dissolve the salt. Place the bowl on top of the trivet.
- Lock the lid into place. Select Pressure Cook or Manual, and adjust the pressure to High and the time to 7 minutes.
- While the beef and rice cook, chop the vegetables.
- After cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
- Unlock the lid. Carefully remove the rice bowl and trivet. Fluff the rice with a fork and cover with aluminum foil. Set aside.
- Select Sauté and adjust to Medium heat. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occa-sionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the basil. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed with lime juice, sugar, or fish sauce (if using).
- To serve, divide the rice between two bowls and top with the curry. You may not need all the sauce.
Coconut milk forms the structural foundation of this dish, acting as both cooking liquid and emulsion stabilizer as the proteins heat under pressure. Fat molecules separate slightly during the initial seven-minute high-pressure cycle, rendering a rich consistency without requiring additional dairy fats. Slicing the blade roast or flat-iron steak uniformly to one-quarter of an inch ensures that heat penetrates the muscle fibers quickly before the connective tissue tightens excessively. Selecting the correct cut matters significantly because shoulder cuts contain enough marbling to remain moist during aggressive heat applications where lean tenderloin would dry out instantly.
Assessing doneness relies entirely on visual and textural indicators since a thermometer cannot easily measure thin meat slices submerged in liquid. Zucchini and red bell peppers signal readiness when their vibrant exterior colors brighten and a paring knife slides through the flesh with zero resistance. Allowing a ten-minute natural pressure release prevents internal moisture from violently boiling out of the beef cells, preserving tenderness. Furthermore, long-grain white rice cooked on the elevated trivet absorbs precisely one cup of water by volume, yielding separate, fluffy grains once rested under aluminum foil.
Balancing the finished sauce requires aggressive tasting after the final simmer, adjusting fish sauce for salinity, lime juice for acidity, and sugar for sweetness. Adding these finishing seasonings off the heat prevents volatile aromatics from degrading during prolonged boiling. Cooks managing dietary restrictions can easily substitute firm tofu cubes for the beef at a one-to-one volume ratio, or swap tamari for fish sauce to eliminate gluten and animal products entirely.
Managing residual liquid prevents the curry from tasting watery when served over the steamed grains. Simmering the added cherry tomatoes and zucchini on medium heat evaporates excess moisture until the sauce coats the back of a spoon thickly.
