This is a delicious Burmese curry. Its fairly hot, so if you're not a love of hot chili, you might want to try making initially with only a single chili. I like it with three..or one fresh and two dried is also wonderful. This recipe can be served with steamed rice or Chinese vermicelli rice noodles.
INGREDIENTS
For the paste
4 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
1 bsp freshly grated ginger
2 red chiles, seeded and chopped
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1 handful chopped fresh cilantro
1 handful chopped Thai basil leaves
For the beef
2 tbsp peanut oil
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp shrimp paste
12 oz. sirloin steak, cubed
1 ¼ cups coconut milk
1 lemongrass stalk, chopped
½ tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp fish sauce
PREPARATION
Preparing the paste
- Blend all the paste ingredients together.
Preparing the beef
- Heat a wok over high heat, add the oil and stir fry the shallots with the shrimp paste for less than 1 minute. Add the paste ingredients and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the steak and stir fry for 2 minutes until browned on all sides.
- Stir in the coconut milk. (For a thinner sauce, you could also add a little chicken stock at this stage. For a creamier curry, you could add some coconut cream.) Add the lemongrass, the brown sugar, ground coriander and fish sauce. Bring to the boil and sprinkle with a handful of chopped fresh cilantro and Thai basil leaves.
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the vermicelli rice noodles according to the packet instructions, drain and place in 2 serving bowls. Ladle curry over the noodles and serve immediately.
