Burmese. Main. Served at I Still Call It Burma (#2 and #3).

Ametha see byan

Beef curry with potatoes

Ametha see byan is a Burmese beef curry with potatoes, ginger, lemongrass, onion, and garlic. Beef chuck becomes tender as it braises in the sauce. Serve with ohn htamin, coconut rice.

See byan describes the oil separating from the sauce as the moisture cooks off. Wait for a glossy layer of oil to rise before adding the beef.

Makes
Serves 10–12
Time
Braise about 1½ hours; potatoes about 20 minutes, then rest 20 minutes
Do ahead
Braise it three days ahead, without the potatoes; it's better. Add the potatoes the morning you eat it.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef and marinade

  • 5 lbboneless beef chuck, sinew trimmed, ½–1" cubes
  • 2½ tbsppaprika
  • 1¼ tspturmeric
  • 5 tspsalt

Aromatics

  • 2.5 ozfresh ginger, thick slabs
  • 5 stalkslemongrass, 2" pieces
  • 6 cupsyellow onion, fine dice (~4–5 large)
  • ¾ cup + 2 tbspgarlic, minced (~25 cloves)
  • 5–6Thai chiles, thinly sliced (or 5 small dried)
  • 5bay leaves

Braise

  • ¾ cup + 2 tbspcanola oil
  • 5 tbspfish sauce
  • 10 cupswater

Potatoes and finish

  • 2 lbgolden potatoes, ~1" cubes
  • 2½ tbspMadras curry powder
  • 2 tspgaram masala
  • salt or fish sauce, to taste
  • yogurt, a spoonful (optional)
  • cilantro sprigs, to serve
  • lime wedges, to serve

Method

  1. Toss the beef with the paprika, turmeric, and salt. Cover and refrigerate. Prep the aromatics and store them separately.
  2. Heat the canola oil in a large heavy pot (or two pots) over medium-high. Cook the ginger slabs until the edges brown, about 2 minutes, then the lemongrass until slightly soft, 2 minutes.
  3. Add the onions, drop to medium, and cook 4 minutes. Add the garlic, chiles, and bay leaves. Cook on medium-low until the onion water is gone and a glossy layer of oil has risen, about 10 minutes. That is the see byan moment.
  4. Add the marinated beef and the fish sauce, then the water. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently until tender, about 1½ hours. Check at 1 hour.
  5. Cool and refrigerate. It improves for days.
  6. On the day you eat it, cut the potatoes into ~1" cubes.
  7. Reheat the curry gently. Stir in the Madras curry powder, garam masala, and the potatoes. Add water if it's tight.
  8. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
  9. Rest at least 20 minutes. Adjust with salt or fish sauce. Stir in a spoonful of yogurt if you want.
  10. Keep it warm on low. Serve with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges.

Notes

  • Adapted from Burma Superstar, p. 37, with 2.5 times the aromatics on 5 lb of beef.
  • Serve with ohn htamin, coconut rice.