Malaysian Beef Curry

Spice Paste
4 - 8 large dried New Mexico chiles
2 - 4 lemongrass talks
1/2 c onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 t coriander
1 1 /2 t cumin
1/2 t ginger
3 T pure fish sauce, e.g. Red Boat Fish Sauce

Stew
3 lb boneless chuck roast or stew meat, trimmed, and cut into 1 1/2" cubes
1 (13.5-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
zest from 1 lime
2 whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 T tamarind paste
chopped fresh cilantro

To make the spice paste: Cover the chiles with very hot water and soak until soft, about 45 minutes. Drain, stem, seed, and chop chiles. Cut off the bottom 4" from the lemongrass stalks. Chop and transfer to food processor (reserve tops of stalks for the stew). Add onions, garlic, coriander, cumin, ginger, 1 t black pepper and process until finely ground. Add 1/2 c water, chiles, and fish sauce. Process to paste.

To make the stew: Smash reserved lemongrass stalks with a rolling pan (fun job!). Bend in half and bundle with kitchen twine. Mix beef and spice paste in slow cooker. Stir in lemongrass bundles, coconut milk, lime zest, star anise, cinnamon, and tamarind. Press meat down completely to submerge. Cook stew on low heat until meat is very tender, 4 1/2 - 5 hours. Spoon excess far from surface of stew before serving. Remove lemongrass bundles, stir anise, and cinnamon stick.

Transfer to stew to bowl. Serve over top steamed rice and sprinkled with cilantro.

From Bon Appétit. Adapted from Melani's What's for Dinner blog