What’s the Beef with Had Yai?
July 2nd, 2009
Southern Massaman Beef Curry (Gaeng Massaman Neua)
Had Yai, Thailand – Fairly recently, Had Yai has gotten a little bad media attention for terrorism that has plagued parts of Thailand’s deep Muslim south. However, violence hasn’t been continuous and I really wanted to see this unique part of the country. Most of us wouldn’t avoid London because of the long string of bombings there so why would one avoid a Thai city because of an incident in 2006?
Upon arriving in town, I headed for the first Muslim restaurant I saw – Tamrab Muslim Restaurant, a sunny spot with friendly girls in headscarves behind the counter on Niphat Uthit 1 near Niyomrat. I don’t eat a whole lot of beef in Thailand, as I often find it tough and musky, but in Muslim establishments you’re not going to find any pork, my go-to meat, so I ordered the massaman beef curry, which looked really, really good.
Unlike the massamans I’ve had further north, this one had no potatoes, and like other beef dishes I’ve had, the meat was quite chewy. Thick and textured, spicy and spiced from cardamom, cumin and cinnamon, the sauce made up for the meat and that’s what I savored over rice, shaded from the hot sun, my first hour in this bright, buzzing metropolis.
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