I did a massive stock-take the other week, of everything that I have in my cupboards. Some of it perishable, or close to expiring, and some not. Either way, I decided to start using the ingredients that I had in front of me to start making more meals, rather than getting inspiration online/from magazine clippings and buying a whole new set of ingredients.

Granted, some things have to be bought for a recipe to be complete, but I’m also trying to find alternatives wherever I can – using what I’ve got. It saves money, and frees up cupboard space.

I have 35 days until summer holidays, and I’m already thinking of recipes that I can whip up while I’m off of work. I’ll have more time, more space and more local ingredients to choose from, while on holiday, which makes me even more excited!

I don’t think that I’ll get to use up everything that I want to, but I will at least have a go at clearing out some of the bits in the cupboards – especially the things that will expire over the next few months. And there isn’t that much time left to make everything that I want to make.

I haven’t made as much of a dent in the magazine clipping recipes as I’d hoped, but not many of them use the ingredients I currently have, and so I figure it would be better to put those aside for now and make what I can.

Today’s recipe comes about because I had a packet of massaman curry paste on my shelf, brought back from Thailand at Christmas, a can of coconut milk, and some potatoes that desperately needed using up. I also had a small jar of peanuts from Live Zero, that I’d not found a use for – so they went in too. It was just meant to be.

The beauty of curry pastes is that they are quick and convenient. Unfortunately, they do come (some of the time) in plastic. Luckily, there are options to buy the paste in glass jars, and I highly recommend that you do – the jars can then be re-used for anything you like (including buying bulk buy food).

Massaman curry is not usually my go-to at Thai restaurants, or in Thailand. I do like it, it’s delicious, it’s just I usually go for something a bit spicier. Having said that, massaman curry is great comfort food, or if you want to tone down the spice a bit for a night.

You can have it with whichever meat you like, or you can make it completely meat free. The choice is yours! I, personally, prefer beef massaman with lots of vegetables to bulk it out (as well as the potatoes). And with that, on to the main event…

Ingredients

200 grams sirloin steak, cubed and trimmed
300 grams potatoes, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 orange pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1.5 cups coconut milk
3 tablespoons massaman curry paste
1 cup water
1/2 cup peanuts

1. Boil the potatoes in a pan of salted water until soft. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
2. In a large wok, over a medium heat, add the coconut milk and curry paste. Mix well, and allow to heat up for a few minutes.
3. Add beef to the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, until meat starts to go brown around the outsides.
4. Add the vegetables to the pan, and cook for a further 10 minutes.
5. Add the potatoes, peanuts and water and continue cooking for another 5 – 10 minutes, until most of the water thickened with the curry paste.
6. Divide among four bowls, and enjoy.