Rich, smoky and slow-cooked over fire

MAKE THE MASSAMAN PASTE

Place the lemongrass, chillies, shallots, garlic and galangal into a blender or food processor.Blend with a little water until you have a relatively smooth paste.Mix in the ground spices and set aside.

SEAR THE VENISON

Get your Kadai fire hot and place the Cooking Bowl over the heat.Add a little oil and sear the venison in batches until deeply browned on the outside.Don't worry about cooking the venison through at this stage, you're looking to develop a good crust.Remove from the bowl and set aside.

COOK THE ONION

Reduce the heat to a moderate level and add a little more oil if needed.Add the chunky onion wedges and cook for 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly caramelised.Allow the onions to pick up some colour from the bowl, as this will add extra depth to the finished curry.

COOK THE MASSAMAN PASTE

Add the Massaman paste to the onions and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring regularly.Allow the paste to fry gently in the oil until fragrant and slightly darker in colour.

BUILD THE CURRY

Add the coconut milk and stock, stirring well and scraping the bottom of the bowl to release all the caramelised meat, onion and spice from the base.Add the tamarind paste, fish sauce, palm sugar, cinnamon stick, star anise and crushed cardamom pods.Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.

ADD THE VENISON & POTATOES

Return the seared venison to the curry and add the potatoes.Stir gently to combine.If you have one, cover with the Cloche and reduce the fire to maintain a gentle, steady simmer.Cook for approximately 1½–2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the venison is beautifully tender and the potatoes are cooked through.Avoid a vigorous boil, as a gentle simmer will give you a much better texture.

FINISH THE CURRY

Remove the lid and stir through the roasted peanuts.Taste and adjust the seasoning.You want a balance of:

• Rich coconut
• Warm spices
• Salty fish sauce
• Sweet palm sugar
• Tangy tamarind

If the curry is too rich, add a little extra tamarind or a squeeze of lime.If it needs more sweetness, add a little more palm sugar.

SERVE

Spoon the Massaman into bowls and finish with fresh coriander, roasted peanuts and crispy fried onions if using.Serve with steamed jasmine rice and lime wedges.