What is the name of the Thai curry that contains peanuts and is often mild?

Massaman curry is the Thai curry commonly associated with peanuts and a relatively mild heat level. It is typically a rich, coconut-based curry made with meat, potatoes, onions and peanuts, then served with rice.

Its flavor is distinct from the sharper profile of many red or green Thai curries. Massaman paste combines Thai ingredients such as lemongrass, galangal, garlic and chilies with dried spices including cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, star anise and nutmeg. Coconut milk or cream softens the chilies and gives the dish its luxurious texture.

The curry has strong historical links to Muslim traders and to the cosmopolitan court of Ayutthaya. The name is generally connected to a Persian-derived word meaning Muslim, although the dish’s precise origin is debated. An early written Thai recipe was recorded in 1889.

Recipes vary: some use cashews instead of peanuts, and vegetarian versions replace meat and fish sauce with plant-based ingredients. That variation does not change the dish’s usual identity as Massaman curry.