Thai Instant Pot Massaman Curry with Beef
Fragrant and Flavorful Instant Pot Thai Massaman Curry with Beef has creamy coconut, tender beef, potatoes, and crunchy peanuts that combine to make this a highly satisfying dish that can be put together quickly for a delicious weeknight meal.
Fragrant and Flavorful Instant Pot Thai Massaman Curry with Beef has creamy coconut, tender beef, potatoes, and crunchy peanuts that combine to make this a highly satisfying dish that can be put together quickly for a delicious weeknight meal.
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 ounces thai massaman curry paste
- 1 can coconut milk (regular fat, 14-ounce can)
- 2 pounds beef stew meat (cut in 1-inch cubes)
- 1 tablespoon homemade tamarind paste (or thai tamarind concent
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (or to taste)
- 2 cups potatoes (1-inch cubes, i prefer yukon gold potat
- 1/2 cup onion (1-inch cubes)
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts
- Carbohydrate 4.0152 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 9.26986666666667 g
- Fiber 1.49333333333333 g
- Protein 4.42026666666667 g
- Saturated Fat 1.28669333333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (199g)
- Sodium 152.155000000334 mg
- Sugar 2.52186666666667 g
- Trans Fat 0.45416 g
- Calories 109 calories
Step-by-step
- Stir together massaman curry paste and 1/2 can of coconut milk and cook in 'Sauté' mode until mixture is bubbly, about two minutes.
- Press ‘Keep Warm/Cancel’ to turn off Instant Pot. Stir in beef, remaining coconut milk, water, tamarind paste, fish sauce, and brown sugar.
- Close Instant Pot and cook on 'Manual' mode for 15 minutes. Do a quick release of pressure (You can also choose to do a natural release).
- Open Instant Pot and stir in potatoes, onions, and peanuts. Close Instant Pot and cook on 'Manual' mode for 5 minutes. Do a quick release of pressure.
- Carefully stir. Taste, and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Transfer Instant Pot Beef Massaman Curry to a serving dish. Serve with Instant Pot Jasmine Rice.
- Note: You may substitute chicken for the beef. Be sure to adjust the cooking time.
- If using purchased tamarind paste, the quantity required may vary.
Massaman curry paste does the heaviest chemical lifting in this pot. Dense aromatics like galangal, lemongrass, and roasted spices require direct heat to release fat-soluble flavor compounds. Frying the paste directly in coconut cream splits the emulsion. The water content evaporates, leaving the coconut oil behind to fry the spices until aromatic. This technique builds a deeper baseline flavor than boiling the paste in liquid. Tamarind paste introduces tartaric and citric acids. These organic acids weaken collagen bonds in the beef stew meat during the pressure phase. Acid softens tough connective tissue by breaking down stubborn protein structures. Fish sauce contributes glutamates, supplying savory depth that balances the tart tamarind and sweet brown sugar. Sugars caramelize slightly under pressure, rounding out the sharp edges of the dried spices.
Managing Pressure and Starch Dynamics
Pressure cooking accelerates starch gelatinization and protein denaturation simultaneously. Sealing the cooker at manual high pressure forces steam into the beef cells. The 15-minute cooking window allows muscle fibers to relax and absorb the surrounding spiced liquid without turning completely chalky. Quick-releasing the pressure prevents residual heat from overcooking the meat. Adding the Yukon Gold potatoes and onions in a second, separate five-minute cooking cycle prevents the starches from dissolving entirely into the sauce. Starch molecules from the potatoes would otherwise absorb too much liquid and thicken the curry past the point of balance. Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape under pressure better than russet varieties due to their moderate starch content. Roasted peanuts introduce texture at the end, absorbing surface moisture while retaining a distinct crunch. Adjusting fish sauce or sugar at the very end ensures the final salinity matches personal preference after the liquid concentrates.
