Ingredients

Method

• 2 T sunflower oil
• 500 g beef fillet
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 T peanut oil
• 2 cups Woolworths organic vegetable stock
• 2 T fish sauce
• 1 T Woolworths coconut palm sugar
• ½ cup coconut cream
• Woolworths fresh coconut chunks, finely grated, for serving
• Woolworths crispy onion sprinkle, for serving
• mini cucumbers, halved, for serving
• basil, to garnish
For the curry paste:
• 2 t coriander seeds, toasted
• 1 t cumin seeds, toasted
• ½ t black peppercorns
• ½ t salt
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 red chillies, roughly chopped
• 1 x 3 cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 x 2 cm piece fresh turmeric, grated
• 15 g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 1 t shrimp paste
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1 stalk lemongrass, roughly chopped (white part only)
• 1 red onion, finely chopped

Method

Ingredients

1. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron pan over a high heat. Season the beef. Once the pan is smoking hot, cook the meat for 5 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat then allow to rest.
2. To make the curry paste, place the dry ingredients in a pestle and mortar and grind until fine.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and pound until you have a smooth paste.
4. Heat the peanut oil in a large pan or wok and fry the paste until fragrant, add the stock, fish sauce and palm sugar, then simmer gently for 5 minutes.
5. Slice the beef and serve on top of the curry. Drizzle over the coconut cream and serve with the fresh coconut, crispy onions, cucumbers and basil.

Cook’s note: Replace the beef with prawns or chicken, or make a veggie version using mushrooms, Tenderstem broccoli and tofu.

The key to mastering Asian dishes lies in balancing the flavours: salty, sour, sweet and hot.