Massaman Curry: A Rich Thai Delight

The History of Thai Massaman Curry

While there are several interpretations of Massaman curry's origins, causing the dish to be disputed as much as any other dish of Asian cuisine, one of the most widely accepted is that it was originally an Indian dish with Hindu influences. The most popular stories are those that involve the British (Anglo-Indian) traders who frequented southern India during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. These merchants were said to be responsible for introducing a variety of food items from their home countries to Southeast Asia, including nasi lemak (a Malay coconut rice dish) and various types of curries.

In this iteration, Massaman curry was supposedly created by a British trader in India in 1818, after which he passed it on to his family in Malaysia. The story goes that the British trader, who frequented the area during colonial times, created the dish by adding meat, coconut milk, and spices to rice from Bengal cuisine. After approximately 60 years of cooking this way, he passed on his secret recipes to his children. When his sons immigrated to Malaysia, they passed on the recipes and knowledge of the recipe to the Thai people of Malaysia and Thailand. It is said that when they moved to Thailand, they asked the local people how one would say "meat" in Thai. Because "má·sà·màn" sounded like "maa·som" in Thai, which means "pot", it was adopted as the name of this new dish.

Another theory that exists is the belief that the dish can be traced back to the time when Thailand was under the rule of Siam and then named as the Thai-Siam Kingdom. The original name of this dish "massam" derives from an ethnic Khmer word which means "to make." In Old Siam, it was known as "massamaya", meaning "to cook". It is believed that Massaman curry was first developed by ethnic Khmer people in their ancient capital city of Ayutthaya. During the Ayutthaya Kingdom, Massaman was most likely eaten by rich people who ate foods that were expensive at that time. The fact that this dish has survived through time reflects its popularity and appeal to all classes of people.

Despite its unclear origins, and due to its popularity and the widespread availability of Asian groceries these days and it's availability in restaurants, Massaman curry is nowadays commonly seen as a Thai invention courtesy of its prominence in Thailand's food culture. It has become one of Thailand's national dishes, typically served in a clay pot called the "ka-tham-lak" which is lined with banana leaves and covered with aluminium foil before cooking to keep in moisture during cooking. Massaman curry is most popular in Southern Thailand but can be found in other parts of Thailand as well.

The curry is an all-time favourite that most Thai people love to eat- not only because it is easy to make, but also because it contains many health benefits. It is easy to find Massaman curry in restaurants, street food stalls, and certainly in any market or supermarket. You will be amazed at the number of stalls that sell it. In Thailand, Massaman curry is sold as street food, usually by vendors hawking their wares on the side of busy roads in popular tourist spots. Here, it is often served with steamed rice and sliced or whole-boiled potatoes. When eaten, it generally goes well with sticky rice, bean sprouts or lettuce leaves on the side as well.

Mussaman curry is sweet and savoury, with complex layers of flavour that arise from the use of many different herbs. It is typically quite mild in taste and is often a bit sweeter than other curries because of the addition of coconut milk and sugar, as well as the aforementioned herbs and fruit such as tamarind and mango. Other curries are often spicier as well because they include peppers and other hot spices as additional ingredients, though these can also be present in Massaman curries.

Massaman curry can be made with several types of meat, such as pork, beef, and chicken, but the main ingredient is usually red meat and not poultry. Still, chicken is sometimes preferred because it brings a lighter flavour to the dish. The most common vegetarian additions you’ll encounter in the curry include eggplant, but others such as taro, green beans or jackfruit are also frequently available. Some vendors will also include small amounts of fish, sweet potato, or pumpkin.

Ingredients you will need if you are taking an online class

● Lemongrass stalks, finely sliced
● Ginger sliced
● Galangal sliced
● Turmeric (Curcuma)
● Shallots, peeled and sliced
● Garlic, peeled and sliced
● Dried red chillies, seeded and soaked to soften
● Dried red peppers, not seeded and soaked to soften
● Sea salt
● Bay leaves
● Cloves
● Cinnamon stick, 1-inch long
● Coriander seeds
● Cumin seeds
● Cardamom
● Black peppers
● Chicken breast cut to 1 ½ inch cubes also can use another part of the chicken.
● Potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
● Onion, peeled and cut into the same size as the potato
● Add all of the coconut milk
● Salt
● Sugar
● Oyster sauce
● Fish sauce (taste before adding as if salty enough there may be no need to add)
● Oil
● Lime