Ox cheek and aubergine massaman curry

Name: Ox cheek and aubergine massaman curry
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 3 h 45 min
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 150 g peanuts; 8 clove/s garlic, sliced; 4 lemon grass stalks, outer leaves discarded and tender core finely sliced; 50 g fresh root ginger, finely sliced; 5 echalion shallots, finely sliced; 2 tbsp dried chilli flakes; 2 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil, plus more if needed; 1½ kg ox cheeks, trimmed of excess fat and sinew and cut into large chunks; 3 aubergines, cut into thick wedges; 28 g pack coriander, stalks finely chopped, leaves torn; 1 large cinnamon stick; 1 g pack Cooks' Ingredients Makrut Lime Leaves (or bay leaves); 190 g jar Cooks' Ingredients Massaman Curry Paste; 400 ml coconut milk; 2 tbsp tamarind paste, plus more to taste; 1½ tbsp palm or light brown soft sugar; 2 tbsp fish sauce

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Gluten free

Serves8
CourseMain meal
Prepare45 mins
Cook3 hrs 45 mins
Total time4 hrs 30 mins
Plusresting

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150g peanuts
8 clove/s garlic, sliced
4 lemon grass stalks, outer leaves discarded and tender core finely sliced
50g fresh root ginger, finely sliced
5 echalion shallots, finely sliced
2 tbsp dried chilli flakes
2 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil, plus more if needed
1½kg ox cheeks, trimmed of excess fat and sinew and cut into large chunks
3 aubergines, cut into thick wedges
28g pack coriander, stalks finely chopped, leaves torn
1 large cinnamon stick
1g pack Cooks' Ingredients Makrut Lime Leaves (or bay leaves)
190g jar Cooks' Ingredients Massaman Curry Paste
400ml coconut milk
2 tbsp tamarind paste, plus more to taste
1½ tbsp palm or light brown soft sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce

Heat a large casserole or heavy-based frying pan and dry-toast the peanuts for 2-3 minutes, until golden; set aside. Dry-fry the garlic, lemon grass, ginger, shallots and chilli flakes for about 3-4 minutes, until fragrant and just browning. Pulse in a food processor (or chop by hand) with a large pinch of salt, until you have a rough, wet paste.
Return the pan to a high heat with 1 tbsp oil. Season the ox cheeks and sear (in batches if necessary), turning until browned, for about 10-12 minutes; set aside. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil and, when smoking, add the aubergine; don’t overfill the pan and cook in batches, with more oil, if necessary. Fry for 5-7 minutes, turning until browned and slightly softened; set aside.
Add the spice paste, coriander stalks, cinnamon stick, lime (or bay) leaves and ½ the massaman curry paste to the pan. Once bubbling, mix through the ox cheeks, turning, until sticky and caramelised. Pour in the remaining massaman curry paste, 75g peanuts and the coconut milk, then half-fill the can with water and add this too. Bring to the boil, stir in the tamarind paste, sugar and fish sauce, and season, adding more tamarind to taste. Cover and simmer gently for 2 hours. Add the aubergines and simmer, uncovered, for another hour.
Remove the ox cheek and roughly shred with two forks, discarding any tough pieces of sinew, along with the cinnamon stick and lime leaves. Briskly boil the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, until thickened, before adding the meat and most of the coriander leaves. Serve with rice, if liked, scattering with the remaining coriander leaves and peanuts.

Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe