To make the massaman curry, heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Scoop the chilled coconut cream off the top of the coconut milk and add to the pot along with the massaman curry paste. Stir to combine and fry until the paste starts to toast and the oil separates, about 3–5 minutes.

Add the beef, stirring to coat in the fried paste, and continue to cook for another 3–4 minutes. Add the fish sauce, tamarind paste, one teaspoon palm sugar and the remaining coconut milk along with one cup of water, stir and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover and let cook until the meat is just tender, about 1 ½–2 hours.

Add the potatoes and shallots, stir, making sure the potatoes are submerged in the curry, cover and continue to cook until the potatoes are cooked through, about 40–45 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more palm sugar or fish sauce, if necessary. Add the peanuts and continue to cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Serve hot over jasmine rice.

To make the massaman curry paste, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chillies and dry toast until fragrant and starting to turn golden brown in spots, about 30 seconds to a minute per side. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and mace. Dry toast the spices, stirring frequently, until the coriander starts to turn a light golden brown, about 1–2 minutes. Transfer the spices to a plate or bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Using kitchen shears or scissors, remove the stems and seeds from the toasted chillies. Break or cut into pieces, place in a spice grinder and grind into a fine powder. Transfer the chilli powder to the bowl of a food processor or high-powered blender.

Transfer the toasted spice mix to a spice grinder and grind into a fine powder. Transfer the ground spices to the food processor or blender.

Add the remaining curry paste ingredients to the food processor and blend until smooth. This recipe makes a double batch of massaman curry paste. Use half for the curry and freeze the remaining half to use another time!