Vegan Massaman Thai Curry (Instant Pot Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between massaman curry and Thai curry? ›

Massaman Thai curry dishes distinguish themselves by the inclusion of several whole spices and peanuts, otherwise uncommon in a Thai curry. Thai Penang red curry is richer and sweeter yet drier than the other curries.

Massaman Curry is a mild, slightly sweet, and lightly tangy Thai curry made by simmering meat, potatoes, vegetables, in a mixture of coconut milk and fragrant curry paste. It tastes thick and creamy, richly aromatic, and oh-so-wonderful!

Massaman curry is typically made with meat, but it's incredibly easy to keep it vegan-friendly by substituting the meat with tofu or tempeh. We include options in the recipe below for vegans, vegetarians, pescetarians, and meat eaters!

While it uses a number of the same ingredients as other curry pastes—chiles, of course, but also lemongrass, coriander roots, shallots, garlic, and shrimp paste—it has a distinct flavor profile, thanks to the inclusion of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, Thai cardamom, cumin, coriander, white pepper, mace, and cloves ...

People love green curry because of the gentle balance of heat, sweet, and acid from the chiles, lime, and fresh herbs. Green curry is great with chicken and shrimp because it offers a punch of seasoning to the protein. The long list of herbs also makes green curry one of the healthiest Thai cuisine dishes.

Thai dishes have won over the hearts of foodies all over the world.

The substance of the dish is usually based on chicken or other meat, potatoes, onions, and peanuts. The richness comes from the coconut milk and cream used as a base, as for many Thai curries.

It is already quite a filling curry as a standalone dish, however it is also often served with steamed rice. You can also serve Massaman curry with roti to help soak up all those saucy flavours, or steamed Asian greens if you wanted to get some extra veg in there.

Coconut cream has a higher fat content than coconut milk, containing less water making it thicker. Coconut milk has a higher water content. It's up to you which one you use, knowing the coconut cream will make your massaman thicker and richer.

What can I use instead of coconut milk in Massaman Curry? ›

Half-and-half or heavy cream

Like evaporated milk, heavy cream and half-and-half are good substitutes for coconut milk, too. Heavy cream contains at least 36% milk fat, so it's very thick and creamy. You can whip it to make whipped cream, or churn it to make butter.

While both curries can be customized to your taste buds, panang curry is quite a bit spicier, while massaman curry is milder with a gentle warmth from spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.

The origins of Massaman

The dish is thought to have originated in neighbouring Malaysia and was introduced to Thailand in the 17th century from travelling Persian merchants who were responsible for the curry's popularity amongst royalty.

Thailand

Massaman curry / Origin

If you're buying curry paste or making your own, you may often find shrimp paste included as an ingredient. One way to replace that salty and umami taste that shrimp paste adds is to substitute in fermented soy paste or miso.

Massaman curry is mellow and fragrant and has a creamy texture. It's generally less spicy compared to other Thai curries such as green, panang, or red curry. The taste of Massaman curry is a combination of spicy, salty, sour, and sweet. Shrimp paste and fish sauce in the curry give it saltiness.

Green Curry uses fresh green chilis and is bright and herby from fresh cilantro root and makrut lime leaves. Massaman Curry is mild in heat and loaded with spices found in Indian cuisine like cinnamon and cardamom. Yellow Curry draws on turmeric and dried curry for a rich, savory flavor and yellow color.

Richer and thicker than green curry, massaman is loaded with dry spices and is usually paired with slow-cooked meats like dark meat chicken and red meat, and it always contains some type of potatoes and onion; it's like an extremely aromatic stew. Nam ya.

There are three main types of Thai curries—red, yellow, and green—which are categorized by the color of the curry paste. The color of the chilies and other ingredients gives each curry its distinct hue. Traditionally, all Thai curries were made with the same ingredients except for one thing: the chilies.