The word Massaman doesn't exist in the Thai language. The dish takes its name from Muslim spice traders from Persia who passed through the region some centuries ago and left this particular legacy behind — a curry paste that sits somewhere between Indian and Thai cooking, with warm spices like cinnamon, cloves and cassia bark sitting alongside lemongrass and fish sauce.

Homemade massaman curry paste — Persian spice traders left this legacy in Thai cuisine – The Flexible Chef

I first encountered Massaman in a hotel in Hong Kong around 2009. How I had gone through life without knowing about it, I still can't explain. To my mind it sits alongside Rendang as one of the great curry pastes of Southeast Asia — the Pork Massaman Curry on this site is the proof.

This massaman curry paste is straightforward to make and keeps for a couple of months in a sterilised airtight jar. The lemongrass comes from the pots on the Casa Adora terrace — the same plants used in the Thai Lemongrass Curry Paste.

The Massaman Curry Paste Recipe

Ingredients

• 20 dried red chillies, soaked in water for 10 minutes then deseeded
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 5 small shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 sticks fresh lemongrass, roughly chopped
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 inch piece cassia bark or cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp fish sauce

Method

1. Dry-fry the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cassia bark, cloves and black peppercorns in a pan over a medium heat until fragrant. Leave to cool completely, then grind to a powder in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder.
2. Place all the ingredients — including the ground spices — in a blender and blitz to a smooth paste.
3. Store in a sterilised airtight jar in the fridge with a slick of oil on top. Keeps for up to two months.

Footnote This homemade massaman curry paste recipe is part of my Curry Recipes collection — the complete guide to curries, spice blends, bases, chutneys and sides from The Flexible Chef. Explore the full Curry Recipes hub.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef