So, the mussaman curry part of this it bought to you by my love of Thai flavours and my desires to paint the world with them, although, in a strange twist of fate, the flavours of this curry are not what may be considered traditionally Thai. Although this is a traditional Thai curry.

Am I just confusing myself here?

The word on the street is that the word mussaman is derived from ancient Arabic meaning Muslim, as the spices used in this curry were introduced to the Thai by Malay and Indian traders who would pop in from time to time in the old days. The curry itself did not find its way into the popular psyche until it was recognized by a king of the time who wrote a poem about it told everyone it was tasty and good.

Fast forward to now and we all know mussaman curry is tasty and good.

This is my recipe for the curry paste I make, but if that sort of thing is more effort than you enjoy putting in you can sub in a small tin of store-bought curry paste. It’s ok. I’ve done it before. It will not be the 100% mint version of kings, but it will still be a hit with the jesters at the lower end of the court hierarchy for sure. I like the Maeploy brand of curry paste which I purchase from my friends at my local Asian supermarket. Also, I try to purchase something I have never seen or used before whenever I visit said Asian supermarket. I give myself extra points if I get something that does not even have English (my families preferred language as per the 2026 Australian census) on the label.

This cucumber relish will level-up this and many other curry type dishes. Don’t skip it.

SMOKED GOAT SHOULDER WITH MUSSAMAN CURRY SAUCE

(serves 6 with sides)

1x 2 kg goat shoulder. You can get a little boneless rolled number if you don’t want to deal with the bones, but it’s on the bone this time for me
That beef BBQ rub you like
½ cup beef stock or tap stock if that’s all you have
50 g butter
Vegetable oil
½ cup roasted peanuts
3 sprigs Indian curry leaf, shallow fried for 10 seconds to crisp
Steamed rice and cucumber relish, to serve

Get your BBQ smoker on and sitting at a cosy 275 F (135 C). Chuck a little fruit wood on the coals for a bit of extra flavour.
Rub the goat shoulder with a splash of oil to help that rub adhere.
Season the shoulder all over with BBQ rub and allow to sit for 15 minutes to start to get their little bonding party going.
Place the goat into the smoker and let it and the smoke have a little get-to-know-each-other time for 1 ½ – 2 hours. Just until it gets that solarium tan going on.
Once it’s looking good, boat or double wrap the shoulder in in foil with stock and butter.
Wrap it up nice and cosy.
Put it back into the smoker for another 2 hours or until it probes tender.
Keep warm in an esky or oven at 80 C (175 F) until you’re ready to serve. Unless you’re serving next Tuesday, in which case you should probably just cook it then.
When ready to serve pull meat from bone in chunks as large as it will allow.
Use bone to carve a prehistoric serving spoon to show everyone you are fucking cool.
Dress goat with resting juices and curry sauce, and garish with peanuts, fried curry leaf and chilli.
Serve with rice, cucumber relish and other applicable sides.

MUSSAMAN CURRY SAUCE

Mussaman curry paste (recipe follows)
3x 400 ml tins coconut cream
2 star anise
1 stick cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar, plus extra if needed to season
1 tablespoon fish sauce, plus extra if needed to season
2 tablespoons tamarind puree

Heat a splash of oil; in a pan over medium heat.
Add curry paste and cook out for a few minutes, stirring regularly so it doesn’t catch.
Add coconut cream and spices and cook out for another 5 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients and cook out for another minute.
Taste and adjust seasoning with fish sauce or sugar if necessary.
Any extra sauce last for a week in the fridge or freeze for a lot longer than that. Use it for grilled chicken, smoked beef, a take on a spice bag, whatever.

MUSSAMAN CURRY PASTE

1 red onion, dice
5 cloves garlic
½ tablespoon each coriander seed, cumin seed and paprika
1 teaspoon each black peppercorns and ground tumeric
1 black cardamon pod
2 cloves
5 dried long red chilli, soak and deseed
2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, roughly chopped
1 knob galangal, roughly chopped
4 coriander root, washed and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon shrimp paste, dry roast
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Toast coriander and cumin seeds.
Grind all dry spices in a spice grinder or use a mortar and pestle.
Pound all paste ingredients with oil in a mortar or blitz in a food processer to make a coarse paste.
That’s your curry paste.

CUCUMBER RELISH (AJAAD)

2 Lebanese cucumbers, quartered through the middle and sliced
2 shallots, halved through the middle and sliced
1 long red chilli, halved through the middle, deseeded and sliced
1 small handful coriander, chopped
½ cup rice vinegar
½ cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon salt

Place vinegar, sugar, water and salt in a pan over medium heat.
When it comes up to the simmer remove from heat and stir until sugar is dissolved.
Allow to cool.
Place other ingredients into a bowl and pour over cooled liquid.
Allow to sit for 5 minutes for the flavours to develop.
This cucumber relish belongs on the side of many thai dishes, grilled pork, chicken satay etc.