Thai yellow curry with beef

Grind dried chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and white peppercorns to a fine powder in a coffee grinder.

Pound lemongrass, ginger, galangal, fresh turmeric and salt to a paste in a mortar and pestle (or use an immersion blender); add shallots, garlic and curry powder and pound to a paste; add the ground chili mixture and shrimp paste and pound until fine. Freeze any extra.

Slice the chuck top blade thinly, as for a stir fry, not in chunks, to cut the cooking time.

Cover the beef with water in a pot, add some salt and about a tablespoon of curry paste, and bring to a simmer; leave the scum for now.

Simmer about 20 to 25 minutes until fork tender.

Bring a little coconut milk to a boil in another pot, add the curry paste, turn down to medium-low and cook, scraping often, until reduced and thick and the coconut oil separates and it sizzles; do not rush or the paste tastes raw.

Add the rest of the coconut milk, fish sauce, palm sugar and half the tamarind paste; boil, scraping, to dissolve the paste.

Add the potatoes and onions, turn the heat down and cook about 5 minutes, then turn off while the beef finishes.

Lift the beef out into the curry and add just enough beef cooking liquid to barely submerge everything; simmer another 5 minutes to finish the potatoes.

Taste and adjust with more palm sugar and tamarind; it should not taste sour but have some acidity.

Off the heat, add halved cherry tomatoes; they soften in the curry before serving. Serve with rice.