From “Essentials of Slow Cooking” from Williams-Sonoma. Makes 6-8 servings.
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds lean stewing beef, such as chuck or round, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Thai red curry paste
2 cans (13 1/2fluid ounces each) unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 cans (8 ounces each) sliced bamboo shoots, drained
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Directions
Place the beef in a bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, and toss to coat evenly. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the canola oil. Working in batches if necessary, saute the beef until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the onion and garlic to the pan and saute over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the curry paste and stir until it is fragrant and coats the onion and garlic, about 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and brown sugar and bring to a boil.
Stove-top method: Transfer the beef to a large Dutch oven and add the coconut milk mixture. Partially cover and cook over low heat until the beef is tender and the sauce is thick but still fluid, about 2 hours. About 15 minutes before the beef is done, stir the bamboo shoots into the curry.
Slow-cooker method: Transfer the beef to a slow cooker and add the coconut milk mixture. Cover and cook until the beef is very tender and the sauce is thick but still fluid, 3 hours on the high-heat setting or 6 hours on the low-heat setting. About 5 minutes before the beef is done, stir the bamboo shoots into the curry.
Spoon the curry onto warmed individual plates or into a large serving bowl. Garnish with the mint and serve at once.
