Coconut-braised beef in jungle curry

RECIPE BY ANNETTE FEAR OF THE SPIRIT HOUSE, YANDINA

SERVES 6

BRAISED BEEF

½ teaspoon white peppercorns

3 coriander (cilantro) roots

3 garlic cloves

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) coconut cream

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons grated palm sugar (jaggery)

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) boneless beef shin

JUNGLE CURRY PASTE

8 green bird’s eye chillies, chopped

2 large green chillies, seeded and chopped

5 cm (2 inch) piece of galangal, peeled and chopped

2 lemongrass stems, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon krachai (wild ginger), chopped

4 French shallots, peeled and chopped

9 garlic cloves, peeled

½ teaspoon makrut (kaffir lime) zest

2 cm (¾ inch) piece fresh turmeric,

peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon salt

CURRY

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2–3 tablespoons jungle curry paste

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) chicken stock or water

2 tablespoons krachai (wild ginger)

110 g (3¾ oz) baby corn, sliced lengthways

125 g (4½ oz/1 cup) sliced snake (yard-long) beans

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon grated palm sugar (jaggery)

4 double makrut (kaffir lime) leaves

15 g (½ oz/½ cup) Thai basil

GARNISH

2 tablespoons coconut cream

2 tablespoons ready-made crisp-fried shallots

1 long red chilli, seeded and cut into strips

coriander (cilantro) sprigs

For the braised beef: Grind the white peppercorns using a mortar and pestle, add the coriander and garlic and pound to a paste. Place in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat with the coconut cream, fish sauce and palm sugar, stir to combine and bring to the boil. Add the beef shin and simmer for 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Allow the meat to cool in the coconut cream. Remove and slice the meat into 2.5 cm (1 inch) medallions.

For the jungle curry paste: Combine all the ingredients using a mortar and pestle and pound to a paste.

For the curry: Heat the oil in a wok over high heat and cook the curry paste until fragrant. Add the stock, sliced beef, krachai, baby corn and snake beans and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in the fish sauce, palm sugar, Thai basil and makrut leaves. Simmer until the meat has warmed through.

Transfer to a serving bowl, spoon over the coconut cream and garnish with shallots, chilli strips and coriander sprigs.