✅️ What to remember when making meat stew: First, browning meat by searing over high heat is good for a richer flavor if you use mostly meat chunks. Blanching is another option if you use meaty bones. Secondly, add ingredients in proper order. Meat first depending on the type of meat, some take longer time to cook and add your vegetables later. If you are using potatoes to thicken your stew add some of them early on and another half later so you can have chunky ones to serve with the meat.

Gather & prep all ingredients. Peel, wash and cut potatoes and carrots. Next, wash culantro and lemongrass. Cut culantro into 2 parts, separating the stems and the leafy greens. The stems are going to be added to the paste and the leafy greens will chopped and added to the stew before serving. Next, peel and roughly chop ingredients to be blended into a very fine paste. See pic below.

Wash meat and place in a deep pan or pot. You can also blanch them in hot boiling water for 5-8mins or until they turn opaque to remove any scums, impurity and any 'gamey' aftertaste of the stew. Then remove the meat from the pot and discard the water. Briefly rinse the meat under running water. Return the meat to the pot. Add enough water to cover the meat and cook over medium heat.

While meat is cooking, blend ingredients listed to make the paste until smooth. Keep aside. Next, lightly bruise 3 stalks of lemongrass using possibly the white parts. See pic below.

Heat 1/4 to 1/3 cup of oil. Add lemongrass and cinnamon sticks and cook in hot oil for 15-20 sec. Next, add the paste and curry powder.

Cook until aromatic and the paste is no longer has the raw onion smell. Add this cooked paste into the meat pot.

Bring the pot into a rolling boil. Then add white pepper powder. Turn the heat down.

Add chopped potatoes and carrots. Stir to mix.

Season with two teaspoons of chicken bouillon. See pic below. Cover with a lid and continue to simmer over medium low heat until potatoes are tender. Once the meat and potatoes are tender, add corn starch or corn flour slurry (corn starch or corn flour diluted in 1/4 cup of water). Stir to mix. Bring it to another boil. Taste the stew and adjust seasonings at this point.

Once seasoning is right and the meat is tender, remove the pot from the heat and sprinkle or top with some chopped culantro. Serve hot with rice, bread or roti. Reheat leftover stew before serving.

Check out the link below for another similar recipe that we like - Thai Street Food, Beef Bones Soup