Massaman chicken curry with semi-homemade curry paste

Toast cumin seeds alone in a dry skillet, keeping them moving, until slightly darker and aromatic; remove.

Toast coriander seeds, cloves and cardamom pods in the same pan until the coriander browns slightly; remove from the heat.

Grind the toasted spices to a fine powder in a mortar and pestle (or a coffee grinder). Add ground cinnamon and nutmeg, shrimp paste and red curry paste; pound until mixed.

Heat the curry pot with a little oil and sear the chicken thighs skin side down in one layer, untouched, three to four minutes until the skin is brown; remove. Watch that the brown bits do not burn.

Pour off the excess oil and rendered chicken fat.

Add about half a cup of coconut milk, bring to a boil and scrape up the brown bits. Add the curry paste and saute three to four minutes, deglazing with a little more coconut milk and lowering the heat if it sticks, until coconut oil separates around the edges.

After the oil has separated about 30 seconds, add the rest of the coconut milk and scrape the bottom. Add bay leaves, roughly half the fish sauce, about half the tamarind paste and chopped palm sugar.

Return the chicken with its juices, bring to a gentle simmer and simmer about 35 minutes, partially covered so it does not reduce too much or boil.

Add potatoes, onion strips and half the peanuts; push down and add just enough water to keep the potatoes barely submerged. Simmer gently 10 to 15 minutes until a fork goes through the potatoes with no resistance.

Skim the floating fat, taste, and adjust with the remaining fish sauce and, only if the curry needs brightening, more tamarind.

Garnish with the reserved peanuts and serve with jasmine rice.