Sawaddee Ka 🙏🏼
Sometimes I come across a brilliant idea that is so obvious, and I wonder why I didn’t think of this for years. This was the case for the technique used in my most recent video: Quick Thai Yellow Curry with Beef & Potatoes.
When we think of beef stew or beef curry, we imagine big chunks of beef that’s been stewing for hours until fork tender. Normally, chunks of stew beef takes 2-3 hours to tenderize depending on the size. A beef curry was never a candidate for weeknight cooking, in my mind.
But during my time working at a Thai restaurant, I saw multiple batches of tender-braised beef curry being churned out in as little as 30 minutes. Instead of making a huge batch, they would keep a pot of beef simmering in the back, getting ready to refill when the current batch runs out.
The trick? They used the same beef that they were using for their stir fries - thinly sliced. No big chunks, and the beef isn’t too chewy to start, and that reduces the simmering time to just 20-25 minutes. The curry sauce was also made separately, so the two processes can happen simultaneously.
So when I was working on my upcoming cookbook, SABAI, which is all about simple Thai recipes for weeknights, I was reminded of that quick beef curry, which is the idea that inspired this yellow curry beef recipe.
If you want to see a sneak peek of the book, here’s a Reel of me meeting my book for the first time. The book will be out March 2023 😊.