Slow Cooked Massaman Beef Curry

Serves 6
Prep time 30 mins
Cooking time 3 hrs 45 mins

Ingredients
11/2kg beef chuck steak, trimmed, cut into 4cm pieces
2 tbs olive oil
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup desiccated coconut
1/3 cup (114g can) Massaman curry paste
400ml can coconut milk
½ cup beef stock
1kg sweet potato, peeled, chopped into 5cm chunks
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs lime juice
1 tbs finely grated palm sugar or brown sugar
3 tbs roasted salted peanuts, chopped
Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Method
Preheat oven 130°C fan forced. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in an ovenproof casserole dish over a high heat. Add one third of the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove to a plate. Repeat twice with oil and remaining beef.
Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tsp oil and the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally 3 minutes until soft. Add cinnamon, coconut and curry paste. Cook, stirring 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and stock. Return the beef and any juices, bring to simmer. Press a piece baking paper onto the surface and cover with lid. Transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours.
Stir in the sweet potato. Cover with paper and lid and cook, in oven a further 11/2 hours until sweet potato is tender. Combine fish sauce, lime juice and sugar and stir into the curry. Scatter over the peanuts. Serve with rice.

Tip If you don't have a cast iron casserole dish suitable for both stove top and oven, cook step 1-2 in a frying pan then transfer to an ovenproof dish to cook in the oven.