Thai restaurants · UKnearme

Massaman Curry in the UK: what it is, how to order it, where to find it

Quick answer

Massaman is a mild, rich curry of Muslim-Thai origin, warm with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and cumin, made with beef or chicken, potato and peanuts. The gentlest Thai curry and a favourite for those who find green and red too hot. Deep, sweet-savoury and comforting.

Calories and nutrition

Calories
620

500–760 kcal

Protein
32 g
Carbs
52 g
Fat
30 g
Salt
2.4 g

Portion: One portion with rice, about 400 g.

Potato and peanuts add carbohydrate and fat; rich but mild.

Estimates for a typical portion, based on standard UK and USDA food composition data. Actual values depend on the recipe and the restaurant.

What massaman is

The paste combines Thai aromatics with dry spices unusual in Thai cooking, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, cumin and nutmeg, reflecting its Persian and Indian-influenced southern Muslim-Thai heritage. Cooked in coconut milk with beef or chicken, potato, onion and peanuts, seasoned with fish sauce or tamarind and palm sugar, and simmered until tender.

How to judge it

It should taste of warm spices over a rich coconut base, with tender meat, soft potato and whole peanuts, and a tamarind-and-fish-sauce depth under the sweetness. A generic mild korma has lost its Thai roots.

Massaman among Thai curries

The odd one out: mild, spiced with dry aromatics, containing potato and peanuts. If green and red are too hot, massaman is the answer.

Where it is done well in the UK

Thai restaurants, especially with a southern or slow-cooked leaning. The list below shows areas with the most Thai restaurants.

How to order it

Order massaman for a rich, warmly spiced curry without much heat. Beef is traditional, best slow-cooked; chicken is common. Potato and peanuts are part of it. Serve with jasmine rice.

Where it's done well

UK councils with the most massaman curry specialists, by restaurant name, in our directory.

Restaurants near you

Search by postcode or use your location to find restaurants likely to serve massaman curry near you.

Make it at home

Serves 4 · 90 min

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp massaman paste
  • 400 ml coconut milk
  • 500 g beef shin or chicken thigh
  • 2 potatoes, 1 onion
  • 60 g roasted peanuts
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp tamarind, 1 tbsp palm sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamom pods, jasmine rice

Method

  1. Fry the paste in coconut cream until fragrant; add the beef and coat.
  2. Add the rest of the coconut milk, cinnamon and cardamom; simmer an hour until nearly tender.
  3. Add potato, onion and peanuts; cook until the potato is soft and meat tender.
  4. Season with fish sauce, tamarind and palm sugar; serve with rice.

Slow cooking makes the beef version. The dry spices and tamarind are what make it massaman.