Kelia Sumatera (Sumatran Beef Curry)

Cut the meat into cubes. Peel and coarsely chop the onions, garlic and ginger. Trim the lemon grass, using only the lower pale root section; chop roughly. Place onions, garlic, ginger and lemon grass in a food processor or blender and process to a puree.

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and fry the meat until evenly colored, remove and set aside. Fry the onion puree for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the spices and shrimp paste and fry briefly. Add the coconut milk and bay leaves and bring to a boil, then simmer for 5-6 minutes.

Slit the chilies and scrape out the seeds. Add the flesh to the curry. Grind the cashews to a powder and stir into the sauce, adding salt to taste. Return the meet and cook gently for about 1 1/2 hours until very tender. Add extra coconut milk or water if needed during cooking.

Peel the potatoes, add the curry and cook until they are tender and the sauce is thick. Garnish with chopped green onions.