BEEF MASSAMAN CURRY

I suppose some could say that using a pre-made Massaman curry paste is not really cooking. I may have thought that once, but sometimes shortcuts need to be taken when the hours in a day seem to be decreasing and your energy level is declining rapidly. As a very smart business owner told me just today, ‘you have to take care of yourself, as no one else will take care of you’. So one step at a time I am trying to live this way and I tell you what, its not easy. A store bought curry paste was my concession for a busy social day yesterday and I am ok with that. I also thought this curry would be extremely fitting to the dreary, relentless weather Brisbane has been home to for the last few days. My legs were warm and snuggly tucked into toasty flannelette sheets as I devoured this warm curry for lunch today.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice 
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped
• 500g extra lean beef mince
• 2 heaped tablespoons massaman curry paste 
• 400ml light coconut milk
• 1 broccoli head, cut into florets and stalk thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, thinly sliced into 5cm sticks
• 1 bunch of pak choy, roughly chopped

COOKING 

1. Pour rice into a medium saucepan, add 3 cups of water and cover. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed and rice is tender. Set aside but keep lid on to stay warm. 

2. Meanwhile, heat sesame oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add spring onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until softened but not burnt. Add beef mince to the pan, breaking up any lumps with a spoon. When beef is brown, add curry paste and stir to combine. Pour in the coconut milk and stir. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until the liquid has thickened slightly. 

3. Add the broccoli florets & stalks, carrot and pak choy to the pan and cook, covered, for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender. Serve the curry on top of a bed of rice and sprinkled with extra spring onions if you wish. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 20-25 minutes 

x Emily