Name: Burmese Beef Curry with Potatoes
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 160 min
Ingredients: 2 ½ pounds beef stew meat; 1 tablespoon paprika; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric; 2 teaspoons salt; 2 to 4 tablespoons canola, vegetable, or other neutral-flavored oil ((start with less and add more if needed)); 1 ounce fresh ginger, (peeled and thickly sliced lengthwise into slabs); 2 stalks lemongrass, (cut into 2-inch pieces); 2 ½ cups finely diced yellow or red onion; ⅓ cup minced garlic; 1 to 3 thinly sliced Thai chiles or 2 small dried chiles; 2 bay leaves; 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 4 cups water; 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder; ¾ teaspoon garam masala; 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes (about 4), (peeled and cubed); Spoonful of plain whole milk or Greek yogurt ((optional)); 1 cup cilantro sprigs, (for garnish); 1 lime or lemon, (cut into wedges, for garnish)

Ingredient notes

Beef: Stew meat is a general term for different cuts of beef that are good for stewing. You can often even purchase "stew beef" in supermarkets. If you want to cut your beef cubes from a larger cut of meat, you can try chuck or round because both are good for slow-cooked dishes. You may also replace the beef with lamb if you desire to make lamb curry.

Madras Curry Powder: Curry powder is actually a blend of spices. The exact recipe for each blend varies depending on many factors. This Burmese beef curry uses Madras curry powder, which is a fairly spicy blend. You could use another variety if that's all you have, but the flavor and spiciness may be slightly different.

Garam Masala: This is also a spice blend. You can make it yourself or purchase a bottle of garam masala in the spice aisle of well-stocked supermarkets and online.

Lemongrass: Lemongrass comes in stalks, and features a lemony scent and flavor. It’s common these days at many supermarkets, and is found with the other fresh herbs. It also freezes really well, so if you buy more than you need just toss the excess in a freezer bag for next time.

Fish Sauce: This is very common in several different Southeast Asian cuisines including Thai and Vietnamese. Fish sauce is made with anchovies and salt, and although its odor is very strong, the flavor is key to many Southeast Asian dishes.

Thai Bird’s Eye Chile: These small, spicy Thai chiles are about 10 times hotter than a jalapeño but half the heat of a habanero, and are usually 1 to 1 ½-inches in length and either red or green. I’ve found frozen bird's eye chiles at my local Asian market. Many well-stocked supermarkets will also carry them fresh. Be sure to wear food safe gloves before handling these chiles.

A close up of a bowl of stewed beef and potato curry topped with chopped cilantro.

How to make it

Begin by marinating cubed stew beef with paprika, turmeric, and salt.

Heat oil in a pot and add sliced ginger, cook for a few minutes, then add pieces of lemongrass and continue to cook until slightly softened. Next add sliced onions and cook for about 4 minutes before adding garlic, chiles, and bay leaves.

Lower the heat and cook for about 10 minutes until the onions have softened and much of the moisture has cooked out. Add the marinated beef and fish sauce, stirring well to combine.

Raw beef cubes with spices cooking in a large pot.

Pour in water, increase the heat, bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Simmer for about 1 ½ hours, or until the meat is beginning to get tender. Stir in Madras curry powder, garam masala, and cubed potatoes. Pour in more water if the curry looks thick. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes more.

Ideally, let the Burmese curry sit for at least 20 minutes before serving to allow the beef to soak in the curry flavor as it cools. Bring to a simmer before serving, and taste, adding more salt or fish sauce if desired. Stir in yogurt, if using. Serve with bowls of cilantro and lime wedges at the table.

Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.

Burmese beef and potato curry in a brown and white bowl.

Expert tips

This Burmese beef curry has a stew-like consistency, and is not nearly as thick as some other styles of curry (like Indian curries for example). The term "until thickened" in the recipe is relative depending on the curry style, which in this case is much like a stew.

Although the recipe doesn't specifically say to pick out the lemongrass, bay leaves, and sliced ginger at the end of the cooking process to discard them, they shouldn't be eaten. Diners can discard them from their individual bowls of Burmese curry, or the chef can go through and remove them before serving. The former is probably more typical where each person picks them out as they go, but do whatever works for you.

A close up Burmese beef curry with potatoes in an retro brown and white bowl.

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