Thai Curry Beef

This is a recipe from the Now We're Cooking business recipe collection.  Adrienne has offered to "bribe or beg" for the recipe.  I wouldn't want her to have to do that, but I do succumb to pressure.  It takes some work to get the recipes from my database into HTML format, and I'm not patient enough to try to automate the whole thing at this point.  It's also why I never got around to publishing the cookbook.  So, if there's a Now We're Cooking recipe you're just dying to have, post a comment here on the blog and I'll get to it!

Adrienne, this one's for you.  The sweetness of the potatoes balances out the heat of the curry quite nicely.

Thai Curry Beef

Serves 4-6

24 Ounces Beef Chuck Shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 1" cubes

2 cups coconut milk

½ cup bamboo shoots (canned, drained and well rinsed)

1 Tablespoon basil (fresh, chopped)

1 teaspoon garlic

¼ cup fish sauce

½ teaspoon paprika

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon Mae Ploy Thai Red Curry Paste for mild curry, or more (up to 3 Tablespoons) depending on your taste

Zest of ½ lime

2 cups diced fresh sweet potatoes

 Cilantro Lime Rice

2 cups rice (I prefer brown)

Zest of ½ lime

2 Tablespoons cilantro

2 Tablespoons lime juice

1. Combine all of the ingredients up to the potatoes (beef through lime zest), mixing well.  Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
2. Put into a slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours.  30 minutes before it's done, add the sweet potatoes.
3. Alternatively, you can do this in a dutch oven:  simmer over low heat for 3 hours, until beef is tender.  Add sweet potatoes 30 minutes before serving.
4. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve over cilantro lime rice.
5. To make the cilantro lime rice:  Bring 3 1/2 cups water to a boil.  Stir in rice and lime zest.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes (white rice) or 40 minutes (brown rice).  Stir in lime juice and cilantro just prior to serving.

To prepare this ahead in the Now We're Cooking way, place all the ingredients up to the sweet potatoes in a large freezer bag.  Combine well.  Squeeze the air out of the bag and seal.  Freeze for up to 2 months.  To cook, let thaw in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.  Proceed from step 2 above.